Questions
Clivia care and buying, answered
Practical answers for South African growers, from the greenhouse and the register. Anything not here: ask us.
How much light do Clivias need?
Bright shade to deep shade, never harsh direct midday sun, which scorches the leaves. They are one of the few flowering plants that thrive in a shady spot, indoors near a bright window or outdoors under trees.
How often should I water a Clivia?
Water when the top of the medium is approaching dry, generously through the warm growing months and sparingly through winter. Clivias are water-wise once established and dislike sitting wet: their thick roots are built for airy leaf litter, not soggy soil.
When do Clivias flower?
Clivia miniata, the upright kind most people picture, flowers mainly in spring, roughly August to November in South Africa. The pendulous species flower in other seasons, which is how a collection can be in flower for much of the year.
What soil or medium suits a Clivia?
A coarse, free-draining, slightly acidic medium: properly composted pine bark is the South African standard. Keep the whole pot one medium, with no gravel layer in the base, and keep the crown at or just above the surface so water cannot pool in it.
Are Clivias poisonous to pets?
Clivias contain alkaloids and are considered toxic to cats, dogs and people if eaten, the bulb and roots most of all. Keep plants where pets and small children cannot chew them, and wash your hands after handling cut roots.
What does the tag on each plant mean?
Every plant carries a printed QR tag. Scan it with a phone and it opens that plant's own page on this site, with its register number, recorded cross, colour class and history. The code is the thread back to the breeder's register, so what you buy comes with its provenance.
How are the plants delivered?
Courier door to door with The Courier Guy across South Africa, or PUDO locker to locker, chosen and priced at checkout. Parcels are dispatched Monday to Wednesday so no plant sits in the courier network over a weekend. Collection by arrangement in Kempton Park is also available.
Can I collect in person?
Yes, by arrangement in Kempton Park, Gauteng. Choose collection at checkout and we will contact you to set a time; the address is shared on confirmation. At a Clivia show or open weekend you can also collect from the grower's stand.
Why do some listings say Price on request?
That plant has been captured and photographed but its price has not been set yet, usually because pricing happens plant by plant at stock take. Write to info@cliviasforsale.com about any such plant and you will get a straight answer.
What happens if a plant arrives damaged?
Email info@cliviasforsale.com within 48 hours of delivery with photos of the plant and its packaging, and we will send a replacement or refund. You also have the ECTA seven-day cooling-off right on any online order; the returns page sets out the detail.
Browse the catalogue or read the growing journal.