Justicia floribunda with Clivia miniata in the garden of Robin Diehm in Sydney

I always feel that spring has arrived when my clumps of Clivia miniata start to bloom, which is usually mid- to late August. I feel excited when I see the flattened buds first appear, deep in the foliage, like bookmarks in leafy tomes. A rhizomatous, evergreen perennial from South Africa, with fleshy, roots, Clivia miniata (ht 60 cm), sometimes known as bush lily, has pale to medium orange flowers with yellow throats, in large clusters of upturned, funnel-shaped blooms, from late winter to early spring. Belgian hybrid forms have larger, richer reddish-orange flowers, and recent forms have been developed with yellow, peach, pink, lime, greenish-white, bronze blooms, as well as some with patterned petals or variegated foliage. Their original habitat in South Africa was on the floors of forests, so Clivia actually want to grow in shade, even quite deep, dry shade; in fact, their foliage and flowers will suffer if grown in too much sun. Their dark green, strappy leaves are attractive all year round and they slowly expand to form an excellent, low-maintenance groundcover in difficult shady spots.

Unusually coloured Clivia in the garden of Leonie Furnell on NSW Central Coast

Unusually coloured Clivia in the garden of Leonie Furnell on NSW Central Coast

Good drainage is essential for Clivia. They appreciate watering in spring and summer during dry spells in their early days, but are tough and undemanding once established. Although frost-sensitive, they can be protected from milder frosts if grown under a tree or shrub canopy. In cold climates they are grown in pots, sheltered over winter. Fertilise and apply an organic mulch around the plants in late winter.

Belgian hybrid Clivia with fern and Aechmea caudata

Belgian hybrid Clivia with fern and Aechmea caudata

My plants originally came from my parents' garden when I established my first garden 40 years ago, as clumps to fill some of the gaps in my empty plot. At that stage, I was into cottage gardens with soft pink, blue and purple flowers and I was not exactly a fan of the lively colour of the orange Clivia flowers. However, I now love the hue and it combines so well with other hot-coloured blooms of late winter and early spring that grow in part-shade, such as red camellias, Abutilon, nasturtiums, the bromeliad Aechmea caudata or firefly (Justicia floribunda, syn. Justicia rizzinii). The startling and unusual flower of the South African paintbrush lily bulb (Scadoxus puniceus) appears at exactly the same time as the Clivia and enjoys the same garden conditions.

Yellow form of Clivia miniata

Yellow form of Clivia miniata

Both orange and creamy yellow Clivia are also an effective partners to shade-tolerant blue or purple flowers, such as bluebells, Brunfelsia species or Streptocarpus saxorum (sometimes called the nodding violet). In small gardens, the same colour combination can be achieved by growing clivias in a bright blue pot! Creamy yellow Clivia also look pretty when grown nearby to shade-tolerant, cream-variegated foliage plants, such as Aspidistra elatior 'Variegata' or the rare Aspidistra lurida 'Ginga'. Massed Clivia can look very effective grow amongst large bird's nest ferns.

Clivia miniata with Streptocarpus saxorum in the garden of Anne Prescott in Sydney

Clivia miniata with Streptocarpus saxorum in the garden of Anne Prescott in Sydney

Clivia seem subject to few diseases; however, in poorly drained soil they may become afflicted by collar rot. Removing the plant from the ground, dusting it with sulphur powder and wrapping it in sphagnum moss may save the plant. Pests include snails, which can destroy the flowers, or more seriously, the scary black and yellow striped amaryllis caterpillars (also known as the lily borers), which can cause a lot of damage to the whole plant in a very short time and should be dealt with promptly, using a product such as Eco Neem, Success or a pyrethrum spray. They can also be picked off by hand and squashed! Mealy bug may be a problem: try Eco Oil to control them. Remove shabby old foliage in late winter to groom the plants.

Seed pods of yellow Clivia miniata

Seed pods of yellow Clivia miniata

Clivias can be propagated by dividing the clumps at any time of year, or by sowing the fleshy seed, which will take around four to five years to produce a flowering plant. It is interesting to note that the colour of the seeds mirrors the colour of the flower, so that yellow-bloomed Clivia have yellow seeds (pictured at left) whereas the orange sorts produce orange-red seeds. I usually leave some of the seeds on the plant as they are rather decorative. Note that all parts of Clivia miniata may cause mild stomach upsets if eaten and the sap can irritate the skin.

Clivia x cyrtanthiflora

Clivia x cyrtanthiflora

There are six species of Clivia, with Clivia miniata being the only one with upturned flowers. The remaining ones have pendulous blooms: the hybrid Clivia x cyrtanthiflora (ht 60 cm, Natal lily) is the one with semi-pendulous flowers most commonly seen in Sydney gardens and is a hybrid between Clivia miniata and Clivia nobilis. Clivia x cyrtanthiflorais often actually referred to as Clivia nobilis, though this species is rarely seen here. It has pale to medium orange flowers in large clusters of narrow, pendulous blooms, mainly from late winter to early spring when Clivia miniata blooms, but they can appear at other times of year too

I have found Clivia to be an excellent cut flower, lasting up to a week in a vase.