The clivia plant (better known as the kaffir lily) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. A herbaceous evergreen perennial native to South Africa. Clivia flowers come in three types. It is especially popular among flower growers due to its ease of cultivation and special decorative effect. The plant retains its amazing shape not only during the flowering period. At the dormant stage, the crop retains graceful dark green leaves. Unlike traditional representatives of the family (hippeastrum, amaryllis, hemanthus), the plant does not form a classic bulb. In place of the vegetative organ, closely woven leaves appear, which form a massive stem. The stem in its natural habitat can reach gigantic sizes. At home, Clivia cinnabar, Clivia miniata and Clivia orange are most often cultivated.
Direct sun rays will destroy clivia.
Lighting
Kaffir lily needs diffused sunlight. It is advisable to grow the crop on window sills on the south side of the building. Direct sunlight can damage the plant.
You can protect clivia from excessive exposure to radiation using blinds, roller shutters, curtains or a mosquito net.
Watering
Clivia should be watered as the top layer of the substrate dries. It is recommended to use only boiled water.
Excessive moisture of the substrate can cause rotting of the root system and the base of the leaves. It is quite easy to recognize excessive soil moisture by the brown tips of the foliage.
During the dormant stage, watering the plant should be stopped. After the first flower arrows appear, you can gradually return to standard scheme glaze.
Move the flowerpot to warm room after winter rest, soil moisture can be completely restored only after the flower stalks reach a size of more than ten centimeters. A premature change in climatic conditions will harm clivia.
The nuances of transplantation
Clivia should be replanted once every 2 years. The procedure must be carried out as the container is filled with the root system. If the roots come out, the plant should be replanted immediately. It is important to protect the fragile plant while changing the pot and soil. Damage to the earthen coma can destroy clivia.
It is necessary to thoroughly moisten the substrate. Then carefully remove the flower from the container. Carefully place the plant in a prepared container with moist soil. It is necessary to preserve the integrity of the earth.
The purchased plant can be replanted as needed.
After purchasing a small Kaffir lily, you can change the transport substrate to a suitable soil mixture. Transplanted young plant in the first two years life cycle does not require a period of rest. For accelerated development and the beginning of flowering, the crop will need timely watering, constant lighting and periodic feeding.
Trimming Features
The clivia flower does not tolerate unnecessary interference. Constantly changing locations or removing sites will stop development. It is strictly not recommended to transfer the crop during bud setting or during the flowering period. To prevent leaves from falling off, it is necessary to place the flowerpot in a new place, while maintaining the direction of growth.
The clivia flower reacts especially hard to pruning. It is necessary to collect fallen areas to prevent infection by fungal and bacterial diseases. Violate integrity vegetative organs not recommended. For the same reason, it is undesirable to keep the plant in a draft.
Clivia flower in an open area
Growing clivia in open ground possible only in regions with warm winter. Clivia is often used in its homeland for urban landscaping.
The plant can withstand a slight drop in temperature. If exposed to frost for a long time, the root system of clivia will suffer.
In a temperate continental climate, a Kaffir lily planted in a container can be taken out onto a terrace or balcony in the summer.
Growing technology
For the rapid development of massive clivia, you just need to prepare the substrate yourself.
soil mixture
Clivia orange develops well in a soil mixture for flowering indoor plants. You can also prepare the substrate at home. To do this, it is recommended to mix leaf, turf soil and clean river sand. The plant responds well to a mixture of leaf humus, peat, turf soil and sand.
The root system of the Kaffir lily in its natural habitat is located in the upper fertile layer of soil. For accelerated development, gardeners use soil mixture for orchids. The substrate stimulates the growth of massive rhizomes. A flowering arrow may appear on a young plant.
Fertilizer
To feed clivia, it is advisable to use complex fertilizers.
Container options
Clivia cinnabar will form inflorescences only in a properly selected container. To grow the crop, you should purchase a pot according to the size of the root system. Unlike other representatives of the flora, successful planting of the Kaffir lily directly depends on tight space.
You can learn how to successfully grow clivia from the video:
Main pests, diseases and typical problems
Excessive watering or stagnation of water causes rotting of the root system. It is recommended to lay out a layer of expanded clay, pebbles or polystyrene foam during planting.
The production of a short flower stalk indicates a dry substrate and a cool environment. It is necessary to regulate the frequency of watering and ensure warm microclimatic conditions.
Reddish and white spots indicate sunburn of the vegetative organs. It is necessary to create semi-shaded conditions for the plant.
The appearance of faded areas on the leaves indicates a lack of nitrogen. You will need a gram of saltpeter and a liter of water. The resulting solution should be treated with the plant. Excessive use of nitrogen-containing components can reduce the number of inflorescences.
Clivia affected by pests.
If clivia cinnabar does not form a flower arrow in a timely manner, the plant continues to be in the dormant stage. Heat treatment will help awaken the culture. Needs to be prepared for the plant hot water(no more than + 40 degrees).
Yellowing and wilting of leaves in winter is associated with the natural process of changing vegetative organs. There is no need to worry if the lower areas die off first.
Why does Clivia cinnabar turn yellow during the period of active vegetation development? Often yellowness on the leaves appears due to replanting. The plant will need a long recovery period. Helping clivia is quite simple. It is recommended to add “Kornevin” or other root formation stimulants to the water during watering.
The main problems of the kaffir lily are associated with improper watering. Clivia can be damaged by insufficient or excessive soil moisture, as well as premature watering. Drying out can be corrected by adjusting watering. Stagnation of water leads to rotting. It is necessary to immediately change the soil and remove all damaged roots. The cut areas should be treated with crushed charcoal.
Yellowness can also be a consequence of insufficient nutrition or depleted substrate. It is recommended to change the soil and regularly feed the crop.
If the leaves of a clivia have dried out, you need to inspect the soil and the plant. Drying endings of vegetative organs simultaneously with brown spots and stagnant water indicate excessive waterlogging.
The rhizome of clivia is very fragile. The development of the crop depends on the condition of the underground areas of the plant. Excess moisture limits the flower's access to beneficial substances.
Response to flowering
Clivia forms buds in the middle or end of the winter season. Compliance with the rest period guarantees abundant flowering. Allergic reaction on inflorescences can manifest itself in the form of lacrimation, conjunctivitis, inflammation of the eye membrane, increased salivation, and difficulty breathing.
You should beware of clivia leaves. The sap of the plant contains a poisonous component. Accidental use may cause gastrointestinal pain and vomiting. It is necessary to rinse the stomach, take the sorbent and seek medical help.
Clivia leaves are especially dangerous.
Clivia propagation
Kaffir lily can be propagated vegetatively and using seeds.
Clivia from seeds
The period from pollination to rudiment maturation can last more than ten months. Many seeds are formed in the seed pods. It is advisable to use seed material immediately after collection - at the end of November or beginning of April.
For planting, prepare a shallow container. As a filler for the pot, you need to mix equal parts of clean medium-grain sand, peat soil and turf soil. When planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the buds - at least two centimeters.
Clivia sprouts.
The soil must be kept evenly moist. The container should be placed in a semi-shaded area. To create greenhouse effect It is advisable to use clear glass or a plastic bag. The seeds need to be ventilated daily.
At favorable conditions The first shoots will appear in a month and a half. It is necessary to remove the cover. After the first leaves form, you need to pick the plant. For transplantation, use a seven-centimeter container. Next year, the young plant needs to be transplanted by transferring it into a 10-centimeter pot. In the third year of the life cycle - in a container (13 cm). For the development of a young crop, a mixture of peat, sand and humus is suitable.
A flower from seeds is characterized by slow growth. In the second year, the plant will form only four pairs of leaves. In the future, the annual increase will be two pairs.
A three-year-old flower in early September must be prepared for the rest period. Watering should be reduced. It will take about sixty days to keep the culture dry.
Rest stimulates bud production in about thirty percent of seedlings. Plants without inflorescences must be cared for according to last year's scheme - in September, the Kaffir lily must again be gradually prepared for the dormant period.
In the fourth year of the life cycle, the culture must be moved during the cold season to a room with an ambient temperature of about + 10 - + 12 degrees. It is necessary to expose the flower to low temperatures until the apical part of the peduncle appears. Then you should gradually restore watering and abundant spraying of the crop. The temperature can be increased to + 20 degrees.
Vegetative propagation
To spread clivia, you can use offspring. The technique is much more effective and simpler than the seed propagation method. It is enough to separate the formed areas from the mother plant. The culture has very fragile roots. Therefore, the procedure should be carried out very carefully.
Reproduction by offspring.
Divisions that have at least four full leaves are suitable for planting. It is necessary to prepare pots measuring seven centimeters in advance. The offspring should be placed in a moist substrate. The temperature for rooting should be about + 16 - + 18 degrees. Moderation of watering must be observed. Fragile pieces can easily rot from stagnation of water.
After rooting, the flower should be transplanted into the soil mixture. At home, you can prepare greenhouse, leaf and turf soil.
Why doesn't clivia bloom?
To form inflorescences, the culture needs to create as much comfortable conditions. The plant is able to maintain decorative properties in winter. Subsequently, inflorescences will not appear on the crop.
Exhausted clivia needs rest. Therefore, in the cold season, it is necessary to provide an adult plant with about three months of rest. During the entire period, you need to keep the flower in a dried substrate. The ambient temperature should not rise above + 12 degrees.
For optimal “wintering” the plant can be placed:
- on the window in the southern part of the building;
- under the bed;
- in the corner of a cool room.
In order for clivia to form buds, at the end of January you need to move the plant to a lighted windowsill. At this time, you need to gradually return to watering. Sprinkling should be done regularly. Decorative culture responds well to “tropical downpours”.
For abundant flowering of clivia, you need to provide rest.
Under favorable conditions, the plant can bloom twice a year. After the inflorescences wither, in the second stage it is necessary to provide the Kaffir lily with rest.
On forums you can often find complaints from flower growers. Clivia has not bloomed for several seasons. The cause should be sought in improper care or unfavorable microclimatic conditions.
A slight deviation can slow down the development of the flower. Common mistakes flower growers:
- Keeping the plant in a darkened room.
- Increased air temperature more than + 26 degrees.
- Complete absence or insufficient period of rest for three months in a cool room.
The plant can decorate the interior even without inflorescences. A culture in offices without proper maintenance is common. Clivia adapts to different climatic conditions. For abundant flowering at home, you will need to make every effort.
How to choose planting material
A Dutch copy of the Kaffir lily can be purchased at the flower growers forum for 250 rubles. In online stores, the average cost of Bronze Copper clivia is 420 rubles.
Flower clivia (lat. Clivia), or kaffir lily belongs to a small genus of evergreen herbaceous perennials of the Amaryllis family. In nature, clivia flowers grow on the west coast of South Africa and are represented by only three species. As a houseplant, clivia attracts with its beauty and ease of care. Indoor clivia is beautiful both during flowering and during the dormant period, since not only the bell-shaped flowers of the plant are beautiful, but also its juicy dark green leaves. Clivia belongs to the plants of the sign of Sagittarius, so for those born under this zodiac sign, it helps to maintain a love of life and protects them from negative influences.
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Planting and caring for clivia (in brief)
- Bloom: about a month in late winter or early spring.
- Lighting: bright diffused light (western, eastern or northern window sill).
- Temperature: 20-25 ˚C during the growing season and 12-15 ˚C during the dormant period.
- Watering: moderate, between waterings the top layer of the substrate should dry out.
- Humidity: doesn't matter.
- Feeding: during the period of growth and flowering every 2 weeks with mineral or organic fertilizers.
- Rest period: from October or November for one and a half to two months.
- Transfer: young ones - annually, adults - once every 2 or 3 years, large specimens are not replanted: every year the top layer of substrate 5 cm thick is replaced in their pots.
- Reproduction: seed and vegetative (lateral shoots).
- Pests: aphids, scale insects, mealybugs.
- Diseases: gray rot, staganosporosis, root rot.
Read more about growing clivia below.
Clivia flower - growing features
The indoor clivia flower is a stemless evergreen with dark green elastic sword-shaped leaves from 40 to 75 cm long and 5.5 to 8 cm wide. The basal leaves of clivia, forming a rosette, tightly cover each other, forming a false stem. The peduncle, ribbed along the edges, of which one plant can have several, reaches a height of 20 to 40 cm, on which an umbrella-shaped inflorescence is formed of 12-30 bell-shaped flowers with a diameter of 15 to 20 cm, which bloom gradually, so the flowering of clivia lasts up to three weeks . The fruit of clivia is a berry. In home floriculture, Clivia cinnabar (Clivia miniata) and Clivia beautiful (Clivia nobilis) are most often grown. What distinguishes the clivia plant from other amaryllis and other indoor flowers?
- It is like a transitional plant from bulbous to rhizomatous. It has a short, succulent rhizome with thick, fleshy roots.
- All parts of clivia are used in pharmacology, but it should be remembered that the roots and leaves of clivia are toxic because they contain lycorin, which causes increased salivation, vomiting, and even paralysis in large doses, so be careful when replanting the plant and warn your family about these properties of clivia.
- At home, clivia needs a period of rest in a cool room, but if the rules for caring for the plant are followed and it is comfortable in your place, then in adulthood clivia can bloom even twice a year.
- Clivia does not tolerate disturbance: do not move or move the pot during flowering or bud formation, and do not replant the plant until the roots begin to crawl out of the drainage hole.
Caring for clivia at home
How to care for clivia
Caring for clivia will not cause you any difficulties and will not require any special conditions, like exotic orchids, for example. Best place for clivia - a window sill facing east. Or to the west. Or to the north - the main thing is that the lighting is bright, but direct sunlight does not burn the plant. A comfortable temperature for clivia is 20-25 ºC during the growing season and 12-15 ºC during the dormant period. In the summer, Clivia likes to be on fresh air somewhere in partial shade. Clivia does not care about the level of air humidity, so you will only need to wash the leaves for reasons of hygiene. The plant should be kept moderately moist; the top layer of soil in the pot should dry out between waterings. Water for irrigation needs to be soft - settled, or preferably boiled. Fertilizers will be required for clivia during the period of growth and flowering - after the appearance of the peduncle, feed the plant alternately with liquid organic and complete fertilizer every two weeks. mineral fertilizer at the rate of 2 g per 1 liter of water, but remember that excess nitrogen in fertilizing can prevent the second flowering of clivia.
Clivia transplant
Clivia should be replanted only as a last resort, when the roots come out of the pot. How and when to transplant clivia correctly? Usually, adult clivias have to be transferred to a new, more spacious pot after flowering (and only!) every two or three years. Young plants are replanted annually. Be very careful that the roots do not break during replanting, and if this does happen, immediately sprinkle the wounds with crushed coal, because broken roots easily rot. You will need a small pot, frankly speaking, a bit cramped, but this is done so that the clivia blooms longer and more beautifully. A mixture of sand, leaf and turf soil in equal parts is suitable as soil. And don't forget about the drainage layer. Very large old clivias are no longer replanted; the top layer of soil is renewed annually - about 5 cm.
Clivia flowering
Clivia usually blooms in late winter or early spring, and as soon as you notice that the flower shoot has reached 10-15 cm, move the plant from a cool room to a warm, bright place, increase watering and start fertilizing regularly. Keep in mind that from the moment the clivia returns to the bright, warm windowsill, it can no longer be moved or rotated. Clivia flowering lasts about a month, depending on the number of peduncles and flowers on them.
Clivia after flowering
When the clivia has faded, it can be placed on a balcony, terrace or taken out into the garden, finding a windless place for it there. shady place. If you want to get the plant to bloom again, bring it in the summer, after relaxing in the garden, in a dark room, reduce watering and stop fertilizing. After two weeks, the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow, but a flower shoot may appear, and when it reaches 10-15 cm... you already know what to do next. However, keep in mind that only a strong mature plant can bloom again.
Clivia care in winter
Or rather, in the fall - after all, it is at this time that the dormant period of clivia begins. How larger plant, the longer its rest should be after flowering. Young clivias should rest from September for two months. Large adult specimens rest (if they have already flowered) from October to February. The best place for this is a glazed loggia.
Clivia propagation
Clivia from seeds
How to grow clivia? There are generative and vegetative methods Clivia propagation. Anyone who decides to get seeds from their own clivia will have to resort to artificial pollination. If you can do this, we wish you good luck. For those who do not want to complicate their lives, it will be easier to buy seeds in the store. Growing clivia from seeds is preceded by soaking the planting material for swelling in water for a day, then the clivia seeds are sown in a mixture of peat and perlite (some prefer a mixture of sand with peat and turf soil) at about a centimeter depth. The distance between the seeds is about 2 cm. The container is placed in a greenhouse and kept at a temperature of 20-25 ºC, ventilated and moistened as necessary. Sprouts appear in a month and a half. After the first leaf appears, the seedlings are carefully planted into individual pots with a mixture of clay, humus and deciduous soil, and then transferred to pots annually larger size. Clivia grows slowly - in the first year only two or three leaves develop, in the second year - three or four pairs of leaves, then two pairs of leaves per year. Clivia grown from seeds blooms in the fifth or sixth year.
Propagation by side shoots
The vegetative method of propagating clivia is much simpler than the generative method. It is only necessary when transplanting an adult specimen that has faded this year, to be very careful so as not to damage the fragile root system, separate the lateral shoots - clivia children - from the mother plant. Those that have already formed at least four leaves are suitable. The separated shoots are transplanted into pots with a diameter of 7 cm with sand and, placing them in a bright, warm place, they are cared for as an adult plant, with the only difference that they will need a little more heat and a little less moisture. In the third or fourth year, young clivias will bloom.
Pests and diseases of clivia
Diseases and insects
Of the insect pests, clivia is affected by mealybugs, aphids or scale insects. Scale insects leave brown plaques on the leaves and stems - the calling cards of a pest that sucks cell sap from the plant, causing the leaves to turn pale and dry. Mealybugs deform the leaves, shoots and flowers of the plant. To combat all these pests, wipe the leaves with a soapy sponge, and then spray the plant with a fifteen percent Actellik solution (a couple of milliliters per liter of water).
From too frequent and too abundant watering, clivia can be affected by gray rot - a fungal disease that manifests itself as brown spots on the leaves of the plant. If the infection is superficial, spray the clivia with Bordeaux mixture, Topaz or Champion. If treatment with fungicides does not produce the desired effect, use copper-containing preparations of combined or contact action - cuprosate, vitriol.
Why doesn't clivia bloom?
Very often site visitors ask the question of how to make clivia bloom. But in order to find incentives, it is necessary to find out the reasons why clivia does not bloom. There may be several reasons: firstly, a warm winter, or rather, a period of rest spent in warm room; secondly, non-compliance with the rules of the rest period - abundant watering or unnecessary feeding at this time; thirdly, the reason may be an excess nitrogen fertilizers, which promote the growth of greenery, but prevent the flowering of clivia. Re-read the rules for growing a plant and determine where you went wrong.
Clivia leaves are turning yellow
If the lower leaves of a plant turn yellow and die and this happens during the dormant period, everything is in order, you are witnessing the natural course of things. But if the problem is not related to the rest period of the clivia, then your concern is justified. So, why does clivia turn yellow? Sometimes this is a plant’s reaction to replanting, so you need to add a few drops of root or other root growth stimulant to the water for irrigation for one and a half to two months. But most often the problem is improperly moistening the clivia: you either do not water it enough, or, on the contrary, pour too much water, or do it too often. If watering is insufficient, this is easy to fix, but if you overdid it with moisture, you will have to change the substrate to save the flower, after cutting off the rotten roots and disinfecting all the cuts. Sometimes clivia leaves turn yellow due to lack of nutrition. In a word, the problem is in violating the rules of caring for the plant - it’s in them, in the rules, that you look for the cause of the disease, and having discovered the cause, it’s not difficult to find its solution.
Clivia leaves are drying up
The tips of the leaves turn brown and dry, usually due to waterlogging of the soil. It is worth remembering that the rhizome of a plant is a repository of moisture reserves and other substances useful to the plant, so do not try to water the plant once for its entire life - in this matter, as in any other, you need to observe moderation.
Once a fan sees the winter flowering of clivia in a photo, home care of any complexity will not stop him from acquiring a miracle. A relative of the hippeastrum, it does not have a bulb and does not need a rest period. herbaceous plant does not require special care, blooms in winter. IN home interior They grow beautiful clivias and cinnabar clivias.
Features of keeping and caring for clivia at home
The large leaves are oblong and resemble skin. They emerge from the root, tightly grasping each other, forming a rosette. The crowning feature is a flower arrow with many flowers, similar to lilies, collected in a single bouquet. Clivia blooms in winter, some varieties throw out a secondary arrow in the summer.
With sufficient care at home, the flower is beautiful and fragrant. Flowering duration is 20-25 days.
The plant's milky sap contains the poison lycorine! Accidental ingestion of the juice can cause severe paralysis in children and pets. The lower the body weight, the greater the consequences of poisoning.
Clivia agricultural technology
At good care behind the clivia, it will create a rosette of leaves and throw out a peduncle with a large number of bells. For this to happen, you need to groom and undead the flower.
The clivia should be placed so that nothing but light openwork shading blocks the light. For this, a stand is made near the windows. If there is not enough light, the leaves are crushed and the clivia will refuse to bloom. The height and number of bells in the bouquet directly depend on the conditions under which the flower is kept.
In summer, it is not advisable to keep the plant on the windowsill because it needs a temperature of 17-20 degrees for the flower stalk to appear. 19-25 degrees is considered comfortable for a flower.
The rest period for clivia begins after flowering; care at this time is special. Artificial restriction will allow the plant to mobilize strength to produce a new peduncle. Each time you need to reduce watering and temperature for several weeks, and do not apply fertilizer until a new arrow appears on the plant. After this, create comfortable conditions for development. When the arrow length is 15-17 cm, the plant is watered warm water, but increase watering gradually. It is from the arrow that the peduncle will subsequently emerge.
When caring for clivia at home, it is very important to organize proper watering and fertilizing the plant. Water for irrigation settles for several days, during the rest period the moisture is scanty, and later during the month the consumption is increased gradually, using only warm water. The root is fleshy, the likelihood of rotting is high. Therefore, watering is moderate, only when the top layer of soil dries. Drainage should work well, preventing stagnation of water in the pot.
Fertilizing is applied twice a month, during the period of intensive growing season, in the summer. In this case, a balance should be maintained between fertilizing that stimulates flowering and leaf mass.
If the foliage grows wildly, the flowering will be weak and short-lived. You need to find a middle ground for the clivia flower when caring for it at home. Usually alternate organic liquid fertilizers and compositions for flowering indoor plants. For each flower, the dosage is selected according to appearance plants.
They also enter the dormant period gradually, reducing watering throughout the month.
Transplantation, propagation of clivia
First of all, you need to choose suitable soil. It is simple, mixed in equal proportions turf land, leaf humus and sand is added with a fifth of the composition. Clivia should be replanted by carefully transferring it to a prepared bed in a larger container. In this case, the drainage layer should be at least 4 cm, the soil should be poured onto the sides carefully and compacted by light shaking. If the roots are damaged during transplantation, they begin to rot in the soil.
Most often, clivia is propagated by children from the mother plant during transplantation. They grow from the sides. Those plants that have already formed 4-6 leaves are ready for independent life. They are carefully separated and seated in small capacity in the composition of sand and leaf humus. In two years the plant should bloom.
When caring at home, clivia is planted with children, as in the photo.
You can obtain young seedlings from seeds obtained at home or purchased. For propagation, seeds are taken from soft, ripe berries. Sowing is carried out to school. Shoots appear after a month and a half. Seedlings are planted in separate cups after the appearance of true leaves.
Diseases and pests of clivia and their control
Any plant disease is caused by deviations in maintenance conditions. Therefore, at the first signs, you need to conduct an analysis and compare the life of the plant with the recommended care for clivia.
Thus, the gradual yellowing of the lower leaves is a physiologically inevitable factor. Aging leaves need to be removed. But if there is massive yellowing, it could be:
- improper watering;
- irregular feeding;
- depletion of the plant whose fruits are ripening;
- moving a flower to a new location.
If overwatered, root rot may occur and the plant must be replanted immediately. Trim the roots to healthy tissue and disinfect the plant, and change the soil. The dried tips of the leaves indicate this.
The plant does not bloom most often due to warm conditions during the dormant period. And underdeveloped flower stalks are obtained for the same reason. Another reason for the lack of color on a recently transplanted plant may be excess pot space. Therefore, replanting is done only when the roots crawl out into the drainage hole and are visible from above.
The leaf plate becomes covered with dry spots from the rays of the sun directly falling on the leaf.
But it’s much worse if red stripes appear on the leaves. This is the work of the fungus, the causative agent of the disease stagonosporosis. A disease of amaryllis bulbs, but occurs in clivia. The mushroom reproduces from planting material. Control measures - treatment with copper fungicides.
Fungicides must also be treated when the leaf blade begins to dry out along the entire length at the edge.
Usually scale insects or mealybugs can colonize a weakened plant. Wiping with a soap-alcohol solution will save you from scale insects. The smell of kerosene is harmful to scale insects. And if there are a lot of pests, you will have to use Actellik.
These simple techniques for caring for clivia will help preserve the beauty of the plant.
Caring for clivia at home - video
Clivia is the real queen of flowers among indoor flowering crops. The sophistication of flowering, the compact and strict shape of the leaves, and the colorfulness of the inflorescences will not leave your family or friends indifferent. My friend, a fan of clivia, does everything so that the flower can be admired twice a year, in spring and at the beginning of winter, but to do this she has to “dance” around her favorite and line up competent scheme care
Let's take a closer look at this amazing and colorful member of the amaryllis family, which is of South African origin and looks like the real thing. exotic plant from a subtropical climate.
The Clivia plant has long, fleshy leaves that are folded at the base so tightly that it resembles a false stem. The leaf rosette is powerful, an arrow or peduncle shoots out from its center, with an umbrella at the end with lovely flowers - brightly colored bells.
There is no doubt that admiring such a natural phenomenon requires effort on the part of the gardener. You should know what the plant likes, what soil it should be planted in, how to get the flower shoot to shoot again?
Varietal diversity
The plant can have different shades of flowers: red, orange, yellow, orange-yellow. Among varietal diversity The following varieties are especially popular:
- Clivia cinnabar is a favorite of gardeners and one of the most popular varieties. One inflorescence has 10-20 scarlet bells.
- Clivia Gardena - it has slightly fewer flowers located on a long stem.
- Clivia nobilis is distinguished by the pale red color of its flowers and the curvature of its perianth. The peduncle grows up to half a meter, and there are about 20 flowers in the inflorescence.
How to grow clivia in an apartment
The main condition for successful cultivation of this crop is a cool winter. Such conditions are necessary so that the plant does not become depleted and is able to form a flower-bearing arrow. During flowering, the temperature should be at room temperature, and at the end of flowering, it must be sent to “winter.” Please admit that not every gardener has such an opportunity, especially in a city apartment. However, without such manipulations, the plant can leave you without flowering for many years.
IN summer period the flower loves to relax in the open ground, so many amateur gardeners send clivia to summer cottage plot“take a walk” in the open air. From May to August the plant will get stronger and grow, the only thing you should know when planting it in a flowerbed is that it is advisable to place it in partial shade, since the sun can burn the leaves. As soon as the first August night cold begins, the flower pot should be brought indoors.
An important point in growing this crop is temperature regime, and soil moisture. If the soil is too wet, the bulb will rot. Let's look at each of the points in more detail.
Temperature, lighting and humidification
- For successful growth during the warm period, a temperature of +20-25 degrees is suitable, and in winter no more than +15 degrees. The room can remain bright during the winter holidays, but the temperature should be maintained at exactly this level.
- The light should be diffused; direct sun is not advisable for clivia. When placing a flower at home on the windowsill, take into account the wishes and place the plant in the western, eastern, northwestern or northeast window, and also use a net or gauze to create a small shadow.
- The plant needs moisture, but not as much as other indoor plants. The same applies to air humidity. If the temperature is normal, then excessive humidification of the environment is not necessary. In addition, in summer you can use a spray bottle to irrigate the flower.
What should the soil be like?
Preparing the soil is simple: you should take garden soil, provided it has high fertility and a little coarse sand. Additionally, pebbles are placed in a pot with a drainage hole; small pebbles are poured into expanded clay; this will ensure that excess moisture is quickly drained from the container.
Many gardeners use ready-made soil, sold in stores, specially prepared for bulbous flowers. But experienced plant growers still mix ready-made soil with fertile garden soil or take forest soil as a supplement. The ratio of purchased and your own soil should correspond to the proportions of 50X50.
Proper watering and fertilizing
Moderate watering will allow clivia to grow actively without damaging the bulb. If flooding is allowed, the flower may suffer significantly. Like all bulbous plants, clivia is susceptible to a disease called root rot.
Feeding is required only during the period of active growth, namely in spring and summer terms. The frequency of fertilization is approximately once every two weeks. For this purpose, universal complexes containing both organic and mineral additives are used. An example would be fertilizers: “Giant”, “Ideal”, “Breadwinner”.
Mineral components are also used, such as: superphosphate, potassium nitrate, and urea dissolved in water. All fertilizers are prepared strictly according to the instructions; you should not use a lethal dose right away, as overfeeding will negatively affect the flowering of the plant. The green mass will actively grow, but the flower arrow will not form
By the way, you will need to apply potassium fertilizer in the winter if you notice the formation of a peduncle, which is extremely rare. But remember that in autumn, winter and early spring, nutritional supplements are undesirable; the plant “sleeps” during this period.
Bloom
If you manage to make clivia bloom in winter, then you are a true professional. This occurs around January - February, and flowering can be either modest or vigorous. The plant is capable of throwing out an arrow with several dozen bells. This rare phenomenon lasts up to a month, and all this time, despite the snow outside the window, you can enjoy this amazing spectacle.
Immediately after vigorous flowering It's over, Clivia is retiring. It should be noted very important feature plants. It is not recommended to move the flower to another place if you notice the appearance of a peduncle, otherwise the buds may be dropped.
Transplanting a plant
Frequent replanting is not required for clivia; it grows well for several years in one pot. The need for replanting may arise if the roots rot, then this action is vital.
Young bulbs may also require transferring from one container to another. You will immediately understand when to start this process by the roots falling out of the drainage hole. Usually this manipulation is carried out with young clivias during the first 2-3 years. If the roots have entwined the entire earthen ball and are crawling out, then it’s time to prepare the soil and a more spacious pot.
During transplantation, the plant is transferred to a new container along with the previous earthen lump. Moreover, the less it is damaged when replanting the plant, the better. The container is taken slightly larger than the previous volume and a drainage layer must be laid.
Plants that are 10 years old or more do not need to be replanted. You just need to change the topmost layer of soil, replacing it with fresher and more fertile soil.
Winter care
In the cold season, caring for the plant is somewhat different, frequent watering is canceled, it is enough to water once every 30 days, but if the soil layer is very dry, it can be moistened with a small amount of water.
Remember that at a temperature of +12 degrees and below, clivia will die, optimal mode For winter period not less than +15 degrees. If you have a cool window sill in your home, it will be an ideal place for plant culture to “vacate”.
If, after all, a flower shoot emerges in winter, urgently change the temperature and bring it to 20 degrees. After the flowers fade, return the flower to a cool place until mid-spring.
Reproduction
There are several ways to propagate this indoor crop:
With the help of bulbs - children that are formed in adult plants. In this case, the mother bulb should be carefully dug out, and the children should be separated. The bulbs are planted in a separate container with fertile soil. This method of reproduction is very effective.
The seed method will require a fairly long period; only after three years can seed clivias show their flowering. Only plants older than eight years old can produce seed material, subject to cross-pollination. The seeds become ungerminating quite quickly.
Conclusion
- Clivia can be grown at home only by those gardeners who can and love to deal with whimsical indoor plants. This plant considered to be quite demanding of himself.
- You can’t pour clivia, its bulb will get sick when high humidity soil.
- The plant can be propagated by seed method and with the help of children that are formed on an adult mother plant.
- Clivia is amazing beautiful plant, blooming for a long period and delighting with bright and cheerful flowers - bells. She causes delight and tenderness, attracts the eye and surprises, she becomes the real ruler of the flower ball.