Clivia Experience????

Does anyone have any experience with Clivia. I have had a plant for about 6 years. It has only bloomed twice and even then it never grew a flower stalk--the flowers just bloomed out between the leaves. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get this plant blooming???With a flower stalk??(it is the orange one). Should I repot it???

skywarrior, mine has not bloomed yet either. I am told whenthey have 12 leaves it will happen. I think they like to be rootbound, so maybe should not be repotted? John

They do bloom out betwen the leaves, but you should have a flower stalk, might be you are not watering it enough at the time it is growing that stalk? I keep mine more or less dry all winter, then start fertilizing with 15-30-15, sometimes dbl. strength, as soon as the days are getting longer and more light coming in, also giving it a little more water. I have two yellow ones and about 5 different orange ones. have traded some out. I just threw some seeds away, still have two pods on an orange one.

Sure hope this helps! I put a bunch of pics on DG in the house plant forum-Yellow Clivia, last post December 3rd. Very last post on bottom of houseplant page, hope you look at my pics.

This message was edited Wednesday, Feb 12th 7:04 PM

Hibiscus, you threw seeds away?! Good grief, do you know what those things cost??? Maybe we can trade next time?

You should have asked me.......sure can trade something!

I have mine in an East facing bay window (only window that gets any real sun (I live in the middle of the woods). It has more than twelve leaves Sometimes the tips of the leaves dry and turn brown. How often should I water it??? How often should I fertilize it?? What brand do you use (I am an organic gardener so the NPK you mentioned would not exist in my house). Normally I travel for a living so only get to water anything on the weekends but right now I am working from home. Should I put in a plant sitter (the thing that waters automatically)??? I have never seen a sign of a stalk--whenever it has bloomed the petals sort of grow out between the leaves (it never forms the 'ball' that you usually see in pictures). I am about ready to give up

Please don't give up, they seem to thrive on neglect. I have about 7 or 8 all different colors, the only problem is how big they get, almost 3' x 3'. I don't know about organic fert. you would have to get something with about the same ratio. The brown tips on leaves is air being dry, like furnace heat?

Good luck.

skywarrior, I do not think an automatic waterer is good for Clivia, I believe they like to dry out between waterings. What do you say, Hibiscus?

Yep John, I agree, they like to be neglected.

Well it definitely dries out between waterings. I'll try feeding it some Earth Juice--it is about the same ratio and maybe I'll set up a humidity tray (I do have forced air heat). I'm going to the Philly Flower show--maybe I'll pick up another one. The last time I looked the yellow ones were a little pricey for one who has little success with indoor plants (tho my aloe cactus is doing great).Thanks for all your help

Clivia benefit from a cool dry winter rest during which I don't water at all (mine are all outside). Once the buds appear between the leaves in late winter (C.miniata), restrain yourself and only start watering once they are well up out of the foliage - OR start watering and FERTILIZE.
The pot-bound thing is a bit of a fallacy, or else the ones in the ground would not flower, would they? It is that they resent to be disturbed. You have to repot at some stage, I have just repotted and divided one of mine because the flowering was getting poor, but I do not expect them to flower this season because of the disturbance, not because they have more space now. They first have to re-establish themselves.

Brown leaf tips mean they are not getting enough water during the growing season. Once a week should be enough though, make sure they get soaked thoroughly.

Geez hibiscus, don't throw seeds away! I just throw them back into the pot with the mother plant, and many have germinated without me doing anything. They take about a year to get ripe, when the pod turns red.

I am still waiting for my yellow ones to grow up, they don't have to have 12 leaves, but they will not flower before they are 5 years old. Mine are 4 now...
Hope this helps some.
maddy

There are certain plants which flower better when potbound, including the common geranium (Pelargonium).

My wife and I have four Clivias. We got them all on the same day four years ago. All have bloomed (though not in the first year). And, yes, we have had blooms on both spikes and peeking out between leaves. We love these plants. Here are the cultural instructions we follow:

Clivias have a well-earned reputation as rugged houseplants that require little attention. They grow best where they receive bright daylight but little or no direct sun - in a north-facing window, for example, or in an east-or-west-facing window that is partially shaded by sheer curtains. You can summer your plant outdoors in a shady location. Just remember to bring it back in before frost. Clivia's won't endure temperatures that dip much below freezing.

Your Clivia will flower more reliably if given a period of dormancy in winter. For 12-14 weeks after it arrives (October), keep the plant in a cool room (50-65 F is ideal) and withhold water. Keep a close eye on your plant during this resting period. If you see the plant begin to wilt, add a scant 1-2 cups of water, just enough to moisten the soil lightly. Begin normal watering at the end of this period. (In future years, begin winter dormancy on November 1, and resume normal watering around the middle of February.) Bloom usually, but not always, follows in 6-12 weeks. Cut flower stalks off at the base after the blooms have faded, and remove leaves as they wither and turn brown.

During the growing season, from late winter through October, water thoroughly (until water drains freely from the hole in the bottom of the pot) when the top inch of the potting mix becomes dry to the touch. Clivias prefer to be kept on the dry side. Potting mix that remains constantly wet can cause rot, which is first manifested by the appearance of pale green or bright orange cankers on the leaves. We strongly suggest that you avoid a weekly watering regimen and instead water only when the plant requires it. Please note that misting the leaves is neither necessary nor desirable and can encourage disease.

During spring and summer, fertilize your plant monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer (20-20-20) mixed at 1/2 the recomended strength. Use restraint; More fertilizer is not better. Stop fertilizing by mid-September.

Clivias tolerate considerable crowding of their roots and bloom best, in fact, when pot-bound. As a plant grows, some of the fleshy roots may push their way up above the potting mix. This is normal. Repotting is necessary only every 3-5 years. The best time to repot is after the plant blooms in spring.

Good luck.

Adam.

Very good info, Adam, all true.

Thanks, Adam, will get my Clivia's on schedule. John

Thank you much Adam--will start the schedule ASAP
Barbara