Clivia miniata
Scarlet Kaffir Lily, Bush Lily, Fire Lily, Kaffir-lily, Natal Lily, Natal Bushlily
Description
An evergreen, rhizomatous perennial plant, suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments depending on the prevailing weather conditions.
Outdoors, it should be placed in the shade, and its growth rate is proportional to the temperature. In summer, mature plants should be kept in a cool, shaded spot, preferably with diffused light, to encourage the rapid development of many new leaves. Excessive heat slows growth and causes the leaves to become elongated and the foliage to weaken. With the arrival of autumn, protect the plant when minimum temperatures approach 7–10°. Vernalisation is necessary to ensure abundant flowering the following year. If the leaves turn yellow, this may indicate that the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight.
Clelia has a very long production cycle, taking over two years from sowing. To flower, it requires a vernalisation period of 1,000 hours at temperatures below 10°C, after which the forcing period is fairly short. Recently, cultivation has been carried out in ‘low-tech’ greenhouses, with the aim of minimising energy costs as much as possible.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Magnoliophyta
- Class
- Angiospermae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Clivia
- Species
- Clivia miniata
