Clivia nobilis, a plant with drooping flowers
Clivia nobilis
- Exposures
- Sun, Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Clivia
- Species
- Clivia nobilis
Other names:Haemanthus cernuiflorus, Imatophyllum aitonii, Imatophyllum maximum
If you stroll through the damp undergrowth of South Africa's Cape Province, you may come across a plant with narrow, drooping flowers: Clivia nobilis. This variety of the Amaryllidaceae family offers a colorful bloom that can last for several months.
How to recognize Clivia nobilis?
A bushy perennial, Clivia nobilis grows to no more than 30 cm in height and 45 cm in spread.
The plant has thick, white roots. These serve as a reserve during periods of drought.
The dark-green leaves are fan-shaped and intertwined. Thick and strap-shaped, they have a tapered apex and pronounced midrib.
In its native southern hemisphere, the plant flowers between September and February. In the northern hemisphere, it blooms in spring and summer. A 30-centimetre flowering spike blooms at the heart of the foliage. It supports umbels of 10 to 30 flowers. While the flowers of Clivia miniata are trumpet-shaped, those of Clivia nobilis are narrow and drooping. Red or orange-red, they are tinged with green at the tip.
The plant then produces fleshy, ovoid berries ranging in color from light green to purple.
Clivia nobilis is toxic. Its leaves, like its roots, contain alkaloids. The plant causes digestive problems when ingested and skin irritation when in contact with the skin.
Our care tips
Clivia nobilis require special care. Watering, exposure and fertilization vary according to the plant's cycle.
Watering
Water when the soil has completely dried. You can use reclaimed rainwater or mains water, provided it is not too hard.
Avoid over-watering. Moisten the substrate without soaking it. Too much water can rot the plant.
Be sure to remove any stagnant water from the saucer or planter. It could also rot the roots.
After the dormant phase, when the bud appears and until flowering.
Potted plants need regular watering. However, to avoid root rot, allow the substrate to dry out between waterings.
You can use mains water. If it's hard, use reclaimed rainwater instead.
Don't forget to remove any stagnant water from the dish.
After flowering, a growth phase begins for your Clivia nobilis.
Allow the potting soil to dry for at least a centimetre. Water the substrate with rainwater at room temperature.
Empty any stagnant water from the saucer or planter. It will rot the roots and may kill your Clivia nobilis.
Misting
Your Clivia nobilis hates wet foliage. Don't mist the plant.
Repotting
After your Clivia nobilis has flowered, it's time to repot.
Obtain a pierced terracotta pot. This material allows the soil to dry evenly and reduces the risk of root rot. Place clay balls or gravel at the bottom for drainage.
Pour in a layer of potting soil for green plants. Plant your Clivia nobilis in the center and fill in with substrate. Tamp down and water for the first time, to encourage rooting.
Your Clivia nobilis is a tropical plant. It appreciates high humidity. Place the pot on a saucer filled with moist clay balls.
Fertilization
Fertilize your plant to support its growth.
Add flowering plant fertilizer to watering water.
Fertilize your Clivia nobilis to stimulate its growth.
Apply liquid green plant fertilizer diluted with water.
Cleaning
Dust on the leaves hinders photosynthesis. To ensure your Clivia nobilis gets the most light possible, clean its foliage with a clean, damp cloth.
Warning! All parts of the plant are toxic. Wear gloves and wash your hands after touching the foliage.
Warning! All parts of the plant are toxic. Wear gloves and wash your hands after touching the foliage.
Taking cuttings
Wait until the end of flowering to propagate your Clivia nobilis.
After a few years, clivia nobilis gives rise to shoots. You can use them to propagate your plant. Wait until the shoot has at least three leaves, each measuring at least 20 centimetres, before separating it from the mother plant.
In a pot with drainage holes, pour in potting soil for houseplants. Make a small hole using a pen or a stick. Plant your cutting in the center
Gently firm the soil to remove air pockets and water with room-temperature water to encourage rooting.
Place your cutting in a bright spot, but out of direct sunlight.
Disease / Threat
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposures
- SunHalf-shade
- Substrates
- Humus soilSandy soil
- Planting method
- In pots
- Tag
- Toxic
- Origin
- South Africa
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Leaf color
- Dark green
- Flower colors
- Light greenRed
- Fruit colors
- Pale greenPurple
Discover plants from the same family
Find out more
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
