Ideal Growing Conditions

• Clivia plants are native to eastern South Africa, where they flourish on forest floors dappled with shade. For this reason, these plants prefer full-to-partial shade to full sun, making them excellent choices for indoor growing. In their natural habitat, clivias grow in soil rich in organic material, and have even been known to grow out of rotting logs. When choosing a potting soil, consider a fertile type enriched with compost. The moist forests where clivias are found growing wild are also typically high in humidity. Clivas should be kept moist and misted frequently with a spray bottle.
  
  

Care in Spring and Summer

• The warmer months of the year constitute clivia's season of active growth. During this time, these plants should be watered and misted regularly. They should also be fertilized monthly with a half-strength solution of 20-20-20 fertilizer. This aids the clivia in producing shiny green leaves and abundant clusters of flowers. In the spring and summer, clivias enjoy residing in pots on east-facing windowsills.
  
  

Care in Winter

• During the colder months of the year, clivia plants are dormant. During this time, it is unnecessary to water them, and they should only be watered if their leaves begin to wilt. Fertilization may also be ceased. Clivia flower production is entirely dependent upon an annual cycle of warmer and cooler temperatures. For eight to 10 weeks during the winter, clivias should be moved to a cool room where nighttime temperatures range from 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If your clivia plants do not exhibit their usual number of gorgeous orange blossoms in the late winter or early spring, it may be due to a lack of a cooler season. Clivias, however, should never be exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees, and overnight freezes kill them.
  
  

Tips

• One quirk of this plant is that it dislikes being repotted, and is quite happy to remain in the same pot for up to four or five years. When plants are eventually repotted, however, their bulbs may be separated so as to create multiple plants. Clivias are also special in that they are immune to most insect attacks, so using any form of insecticide is extraneous.