The beautiful Clivia gardenii from South Africa is a rarely seen cousin of the beloved Clivia miniata.  This striking member of the Amaryllis family puts on a gorgeous display of pendulous, orange flowers that are tipped with green.  The plant should be more common in cultivation, since it is very ornamental and it's also easy to grow.  It is seldom seen for sale.

It makes attractive, strap-like leaves that grow 1½ to 2 feet long.  It looks a bit like my Clivia robusta, but the plant is more compact and doesn't need a huge pot.  Over time, it makes numerous offsets, which you may separate.  It usually flowers for me in autumn or winter, but it can bloom a second time during the year.  The flowers are 2 inches long, and there's about 1 to 2 dozen of them on an upright stem.  After flowering, it makes attractive berries than turn red when ripe.  You can cross-breed it with my other Clivia species to create great, new inter-species hybrids!

It has similar growing needs to the common Clivia.  It does best in mild temperatures with cooler nights, similar to cool- and intermediate-growing orchids.  It may not thrive in consistently hot temperatures with warm nights (above 65°F / 18°C).  It probably can survive a light frost, but it's best to protect it from freezing temps. 

Filtered sun or weak direct sun is best for this forest plant.  Protect it from strong sunlight.  It grows well in a 1-2 gallon pot in a loose, well-draining mix.  A typical mix is equal parts of potting soil, perlite, and small orchid bark.  You can either let the mix dry out halfway between waterings or keep it evenly moist.  Try to avoid keeping it constantly soggy.  In the right conditions, it's a durable and long-lived plant.

Unfortunately, fake Clivia seeds have been sold online.  I guarantee that my plants and seeds are genuine.

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Germination tips for this plant

Photos used with permission of SA Plants