Classification of a representative of the flora and the origin of its name, cultivation, how to propagate, the fight against harmful insects and diseases, facts to note, species. Plants that belong to the Amaryllidaceae family have always delighted the eyes of flower growers with their opening buds. Among the many representatives of this flower family, one can talk about clivia, which also has a delicate color and type of flowers.
Clivia (Clivia) is distinguished by herbaceous growth and is a perennial. In the wild, the plant can be found in the western coastal regions of South Africa, and there are only five varieties of this wonderful flower in the genus.
Clivia bears its scientific name thanks to botanist John Lindley, who decided to immortalize the name of the Duchess of Northumberland - Charlotte Clive, in those years the lady was in the service of the future Queen of Great Britain Victoria as a governess. But there is another name for the plant by which it is known to flower growers - kaffir lily.
Clivia does not have a stem, but it can "boast" of numerous flowers. Vaginal leaf plates, differ in xiphoid or linear outlines. They tightly cover each other with their vaginas, and this creates a formation that is very similar to a stem, but is not, in fact, it is a false stem. Under the surface of the substrate, this representative of the amaryllis has a sufficiently developed rhizome, and leaves are attached to it with plump bases. It should be noted that clivia occupies a step located in the middle between plants with bulbs and flora samples with rhizomes.
The color of the foliage is dark green and it adorns the plant even when there are no flowers yet. The leaf plates are elastic and in length can reach parameters of 40–75 cm with a width in the range of 5, 5–8 m.
When the flowering process begins, a flowering stem with a ribbed surface is formed. The kaffir lily can have several such peduncles, they vary in height from 20 to 40 cm. The resulting buds have bell-shaped outlines, crowning the peduncle, their petals are often painted with red or orange shades. Umbrella inflorescences are collected from flowers, in which the number of buds ranges from 12-30 units. The diameter of a flower in opening can reach 15–20 cm. The buds open gradually, so the total time of this process takes up to three weeks.
After flowering, the fruit ripens, which is a berry containing up to 6 seeds of a yellow-gray color. Initially, these berries are green in color, but as they mature (up to 10 months), their color changes to a bright red-orange.
There are also some distinctive features that characterize the clivia and distinguish it among the entire family:
- the rhizome is thick and fleshy;
- all parts of the plant are used in pharmacology due to their toxicity;
- requires cool wintering;
- does not like when it is rearranged or often transplanted.
Clivia cultivation, transplantation, home care
- Lighting and choosing a place for a flower. Although the kaffir lily is a shade-tolerant representative of the flora, for its normal growth, development and flowering, you should place the pot in a well-lit place, but with protection from direct sunlight - east and west windows are suitable. On the southern exposure window, you need to shade it from the scorching rays. In summer, it is recommended to take the flower out into the open air - glazed balconies or a garden will do. You should not stop the clivia during flowering and you do not even need to twirl the pot, as this is fraught with the dropping of the buds.
- Content temperature. From spring until the end of flowering, Kaffir lily should be kept at a heat rate of 20-25 degrees. But when the flowers dry out, then she begins a period of winter dormancy and the thermometer is gradually reduced to 12 units. When a flower arrow appears on the clivia, it signals that the plant has woken up, and it is transferred to a place with normal conditions. If such a lily is kept in winter at high heat indicators, then the subsequent flowering will be few or absent altogether.
- Air humidity when caring for the clivia, it does not matter much. It grows well in indoor air. However, it is recommended to carry out periodic spraying of foliage with warm soft water, especially at elevated air temperatures in the summer, it is also worth performing such a procedure in the winter months, if the plant is not kept at low thermometer readings. Elongated leaves should often be wiped off dust with a damp soft cloth.
- Watering kaffir lily. From the beginning of vegetative activity, clivia must be watered with soft water at room temperature. The soil should dry out a little between humidifications. Stagnant water in the pot holder is not allowed. During the winter rest period, watering is practically stopped, but if the leaves begin to fall off, then only in this case the plant is watered. When you can see that the buds have already set, it is recommended to water the flower more abundantly and only with water at a temperature of 20-24 degrees.
- Fertilize clivia from the time it leaves the dormant period and new shoots appear in the flower, throughout the entire period of growth and flowering. The regularity of such dressings every 14 days. Special preparations are used for flowering indoor plants. Usually liquid organic agents and complete mineral complexes alternate, which are diluted in water for irrigation on the basis that 2 g of the drug are dissolved in 1 liter of water. It is only important not to overfeed the clivia with nitrogen, as this can affect the absence of a second flowering.
- Transplantation and choice of substrate. When the kaffir lily is still young, the soil in the pot and the container itself is changed annually, or when its roots appear from the drainage holes, but over time, due to the fragility of the roots, the plant does not disturb the plant with transplants, but replaces several centimeters of soil from above. The new container is chosen ceramic and of such a size that it is slightly larger than the root system of the clivia.
The substrate is selected loose, with low acidity. If you want to compose the soil yourself, then you can choose from the following options:
- peat, humus soil, sod land (in a ratio of 1: 1: 2);
- river sand, peat, turf substrate (in a ratio of 1: 0, 5: 1);
- equal amounts of leafy and soddy soil are mixed with the same part of humus.
It is recommended to add superphosphate or other phosphorus fertilizer to the soil mixture at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 3 liters of substrate. The flower shows excellent growth on hydroponic materials.
Steps for self-propagating clivia
You can propagate the kaffir lily using seeds and side shoots.
In spring, during the transplantation process, lateral processes can be separated from the adult specimen. These "kids" should grow at least five sufficiently developed leaf plates. Such clivia plants are carefully separated or cut off with a sharp and disinfected knife, and the cuts are powdered with activated charcoal or charcoal powder. Then transplantation is carried out in small separate pots (diameter 7 cm), in the bottom of which there are holes for moisture drainage, and a drainage layer is laid before pouring the soil. Young clivias are placed in a bright place and the temperature is maintained at about 18 degrees. Once the plants are rooted, they are routinely cared for. You will have to wait for flowers after 2-3 years. It is important to remember that the root system of the kaffir lily is fragile, and after the separation of the "children", watering both the "young" and the mother plant is moderate.
It is advisable to sow the seeds immediately after harvesting, since at this time they have a large percentage of germination. If the seeds are purchased, then they are sown in the spring, but before that they are soaked in warm water for a day. A layer of drainage material is poured into the seedling box, and then soil is placed (sandy-peat substrate, peat and perlite or a mixture of sand with peat and sod soil). The seeds are buried 1 cm with a distance of 6 cm between them. Then the soil is moistened and the box is covered with polyethylene. Germinated in a bright and warm place (at a temperature of 20-25 degrees). In a month and a half, shoots should appear, while the shelter is removed. When a pair of leaves develops on young clivias, the first transplant is carried out in separate pots with new soil (a mixture of clay, humus and leafy soil).
Potential Difficulties in Cultivating Clivia
If the above conditions for caring for a flower are violated, it can be affected by pests, namely mealybugs, aphids or a scale insect. When the first signs of harmful insects are detected, wipe the clivia leaves with a soap, oil or alcohol solution. And also to carry out the treatment with insecticidal preparations of the appropriate action.
If the substrate in the pot is constantly in a highly moist state, then the kaffir lily can be affected by fungal diseases (gray rot). If the infection is only on the surface of the leaves, then spraying with Bordeaux liquid is carried out, and you can also use "Topaz" or "Champion". If such treatment does not bring improvement, then it is recommended to use already copper-containing preparations, such as vitriol or cuproscat.
If the plant does not bloom in any way, then the reason may be: warm wintering, abundant watering or feeding during the dormant period, an excess of nitrogen-containing preparations in the soil. When the leaf plates turn yellow, it is possible that the reason for this is:
- reaction to transplantation (then a couple of drops of root stimulant are added to the water for irrigation within 1, 5–2 months);
- too little or very abundant watering (in this case, transplanting with the removal of rotten roots will help).
When the leaf plates began to dry out, this was due to waterlogging of the soil. If the temperature drops too much, the flower-bearing stems will grow short. Whitish spotting on foliage occurs from sunburn.
Curious facts about the clivia flower
Kaffir lily is classified as a plant belonging to the sign of Sagittarius, they help the representatives of this constellation to maintain their love of life and protect the owner from its negative influence.
Due to the fact that a substance called licorin is present in all parts of the clivia, the plant is quite toxic and therefore used in pharmacology. The aforementioned substance can cause increased salivation and even vomiting with diarrhea, and if the dose is too large, then paralysis. It is recommended to carry out any operations with the kaffir lily, wearing gloves so that even the juice does not get on the skin - this can lead to irritation.
It requires a cool wintering, unlike other representatives of the Amaryllis family, this will serve as a guarantee of further abundant flowering and growth. If the content is comfortable for the clivia, then it will delight with flowering twice a year, reaching "mature age".
Do not twirl a pot with a kaffir lily - this can provoke the buds to fall off.
Types of clivia
Clivia Gardena (Clivia gardenii) can reach up to half a meter, has long leaf plates with a belt-like shape, painted in a dark green color, there is a sharpening at the tops. The flower-bearing stem can stretch up to 50 cm in height, it is crowned with bell-shaped flowers. The petals of the buds are painted in red color. From such flowers, umbrella-shaped inflorescences are collected, in which there are up to 15 buds. The flowering process takes place in the winter.
Beautiful clivia (Clivia nobilis) also has leaf plates of a belt-like or xiphoid shape, leaf length can reach 40 cm. When flowering, a peduncle is formed in height measuring 50 cm, it is crowned with an inflorescence, in which the number of buds varies within 30-60 units. The flowers have an elongated and funnel-shaped corolla, its petals are painted in a light red color, with some green at the tops. Flowering lasts from February to the last days of May.
Clivia miniata may be referred to as Clivia miniata. Until flowers are formed on the plant, this variety is very similar to the beautiful clivia variety. Leaf plates in length can measure 70 cm, their shape is belt-like, the color is dark green. The flower petals, when opened, have a red-orange tone, and there is a yellow tint at the base. Up to 20 buds can bloom on one peduncle. This plant blooms in spring. It is a basic variety for breeding work.
It bears its name because of the color of the flowers, as if their petals, painted with cinnabar or covered with red paint (in Latin, this means - miniatus), since in the same language minium is translated as "cinnabar" or "red lead". The native range falls on the lands of South America. It is this variety that flower growers call the Kaffir (Cape) lily or orange (dull red) clivia, red lead clivia (red lead).
Clivia variegated is a type of cinnabar clivia:
- "Japanise Pastels", has delicately colored flowers of a white-cream shade.
- The "Striata" cultivar is distinguished by a bright orange color of the petals of the buds and leaf plates on the surface of which there is a pattern of yellow and white stripes, a rather popular European plant.
- "Solomon yellow" with yellow flowers.
- "Snowball" color of the petals of the buds is snow-white.
- "Mickle White", is distinguished by especially delicate flowers, reminiscent of a tea rose.
- "Mopi Hurt" - flower petals are white with pink tops.
Stem clivia (Clivia caulescens) in height can reach 2 meters in height with shoots, therefore, it is rarely found in room culture. Leaf plates are measured in length in 1 m, their shape is belt-like, a false stem can be created at the base (leaf sheaths cover each other in this way). During flowering, several flowering stems can grow, which will crown 15-20 flowers of a drooping appearance. The color of the petals is salmon, turning into a green color. Flowering can occur at any time of the year.
Clivia mirabilis The climatic conditions of growth are very different from those where other varieties of clivia grow - northwest South Africa, and because of this, the plant bears this specific name. The root system is quite developed, which makes it possible for this clivia to survive drought and heat of 40 degrees. In winter, in its native territory, this plant has the ability to survive heavy showers and even frosts.
Clivia robusta or Clivia marsh, in 2003, belonged to a part of the clivia cinnabar genus, since its flowers were very similar to the above variety. But when the DNA analysis was carried out, the powerful clivia had already been removed from this composition. It even differs in its size, which can reach up to 1.8 m in height. Since she often settles in damp and swampy areas, because of this, she has a second name.
More about growing clivia and caring for a flower in the following video:
