Clivia.

Thank you!!!!

I read up on it. I do remember my neighbor mentioned it was from Longwood Gardens and that she got the parent plant maybe in the 70s? She passed away last year at 90. As they clean out her house, I wonder what happened to the parent plant. I hope they did not just toss it. I think the 5-1-1 is a good fit based on what I read. It sounds like its blooming is difficult, and I've never followed the "rules" for blooming, but it has every year. Thank you for the help!

It's beautiful Laura! Clearly it likes being in your care.

Like so many things, it grows outside in my garden here; and it blooms twice per year.

Oh, I am jealous!

Lucky duck John! Vladimir, I am jealous too! Thanks Sammers...I was just lucky it liked my house. It has been living beside my orchids all these years.

Oh Brian, yours is beautiful!! Did that second one grow of of the other one? I noticed when I repotted that it looked like the beginnings of another plant were in the roots. I did not touch it because it looked too young and delicate to remove and I did not want to risk hurting it. Now that it is in a bigger pot, perhaps it will emerge?

I forgot Brian, it has been out for like a month in a shady spot where my orchids are. That is where I kept it last summer. The summer before (before my budgies started abusing my orchids), it spent the summer inside by a very bright window in my sunroom.

Glad it's in the shade Laura . Funny thing ours always sat in a very sunny west window and loved it thinking it loved the sun we placed it outside in the sun didn't take to long before showing signs it didn't like it. Laura lol you know we always plant everything in large pots we have never tried separating the plants it's constantly having babies they are tubular connected. I know how destructive birds can be lol we have a parrot that loves shoes .

Brian

Brian, I have a puppy that loves shoes ;-)...not good! He ate my son's glasses a few days ago too...I know what my neighbor gave me was a baby from her plant. I wish I could remember how long I've had it...I can tell you that it was way before I even got my first citrus. I like how yours looks with the babies, but if you ever want to separate, I am sure they would be fine.

Lovely plant, and a wonderful story to go with it.

Laura, here is a picture of one of my clivias that bloomed about a month ago. I have planted it in 511 several years ago and it does well in it and the 511 is so much easier to haul around than most any soils so I plant all my container plants in it now. I can't put my clivias outside without caging them in because the squirrels love to eat them, or bite the leaves and whole top part off the roots. I was able to re-root one of the biten off tops of a variegated leaf one. I was so heart-broken when I saw what happened I tried in desperation and it actually rerooted! I think I was just lucky and don't put them out anymore. Even when they were in cages I would find the squirrels trying to get inside of the cages and they would throw the cages around trying to get them open. They even come under my front porch to get them if I put them there. Brian is correct, they are lower light plants. I have read you should make a dot on the side of the plant so you keep the plant in the same place facing the light to keep the plant's leaved growing in one direction. No matter what, I seem to move them too much so my leaves grow in many directions. They bloom best when they are given a cool, dry rest during the winter.

I have an epiphyllum in bloom right now you may like to see. It blooms best when given a cool dry rest like the Clivia so can share a cold spot with the clivia. Your unheated porch sounds ideal. It is now outside, and so far the squirrels have been leaving it alone. The flower is as large as my open hand. It is so beautiful. I have a different kind which should bloom any day now too. I will post a picture when it is fully out. The buds started in January so it is a long wait for blooms. The Clivia is like that too.

Cory

Clivias are very tough plants. Mine stays outside in summer in the shade. In winter it goes in cool, but heated garage on the dry side. Yours will start sending up pups soon. And soon it will bust out of its pot.

Here are some of my epis. Huge blooms!

Tele Star:

Wild Plum:

Tequila Sunrise:

Cory and Dave, those are gorgeous!!! I love the bright colors and incredible size. Cory, I have not had trouble with squirrels because I put it on a stand up against my house where the squirrels do not dare go. It seems to be happy enough after the repotting and has not shed any flowers. It has been cloudy and rainy, so I put it on my picnic tablet to soak up some fresh rain.

Laura, that plant is beautiful! How fast does it grow? My daughter saw the picture and wants similar plant for her room :)

Sunshine, it has grown slowly for me...how about you guys? Mine has been so root-bound it's hard to judge.

Yours does not look rootbound. This is rootbound:

Dave, MY GOD!!

Now I am beginning to feel bad about throwing all of mine out a few years back, over 30 different varieties!! Nice everyone

Dave...wow!!!! Mike, why on earth would you do that???

Dave those flowers are beautiful! I love how big they are! I just started a hibiscus because I need some big flowers in my yard but those are just fantastic! WOW so impressive! Thanks for sharing!