Clivia Indoor Bloom Care

A clivia blooms indoors when it gets bright indirect light most of the year, plus a cool, dry rest of about 8 to 10 weeks at roughly 45 to 55°F with little or no water and no fertilizer. When a flower stalk pokes up about 6 inches, move the plant back to normal room warmth and start watering again. Skip the rest, or keep the plant warm and wet all year, and you usually get leaves and no flowers.

Clivia (Clivia miniata), often called bush lily or fire lily, is a long-lived houseplant from South Africa with thick, strap-shaped leaves and clusters of orange, yellow, or red trumpet flowers. It flowers from late winter into spring, often for several weeks, and plants can live for decades. It is a forgiving plant that rewards a little neglect at the right time.

Light and everyday care

1. Bright, indirect light. An east window, or a spot a few feet back from a south or west window, is ideal. Hot direct sun through glass can bleach or scorch the leaves.
2. Normal room temperatures of 60 to 75°F suit it outside of the rest period.
3. Water when the top 2 inches of mix are dry during spring and summer, then water thoroughly and empty the saucer. Thick, fleshy roots store water, so soggy mix is the fastest way to lose a clivia.
4. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth now and then so dust does not block light.

The cool rest that sets flowers

The rest period is the step most people miss. In mid to late fall, move the plant to a cool, bright room where nights stay around 45 to 55°F and days stay below about 60°F. An unheated spare room, enclosed porch that does not freeze, or a cool basement window all work. Keep it above 40°F.

During the rest:

• Water very little. Give just enough to keep leaves from wrinkling, often a small drink every three or four weeks.
• Do not fertilize.
• Keep the light bright. A cool spot is not the same as a dark closet.

After about 8 to 10 weeks, look between the leaves for a flower stalk. When it is about 6 inches tall, bring the plant back to a warmer room and resume regular watering. Flowers usually open a few weeks later.

Why the flower stalk gets stuck

Sometimes flowers open low, wedged between the leaves. That usually means the rest was too short, the plant was warmed up before the stalk had grown tall enough, or it was kept too dry once the stalk appeared. Next time, give a longer cool rest and wait for that 6 inch stalk before moving it. Avoid moving the plant around once buds form, since big changes in light and temperature can stall them.

Pot, mix, and repotting

Clivias bloom best when slightly crowded, so do not rush to repot. Every three to five years, or when roots push the plant up out of the pot, repot right after flowering into a pot only one size larger with drainage holes. Use a fast-draining mix: about two parts indoor potting mix to one part chunky bark or perlite. A heavy terracotta pot also keeps a tall, top-heavy plant from tipping.

Offsets, the small new fans that form at the base, can be separated when they have four or five leaves of their own. Cut them free with a clean knife, keep as many roots as you can, and pot them on their own.

Feeding

Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength every two to four weeks from spring through summer. Stop in late summer so the plant can slow down before the rest. Many clivias spend summer outdoors in full shade once nights stay above 50°F, then come inside before frost.

After the flowers fade

Cut the spent flower stalk near the base with clean snips unless you want seed. The green berries that follow take about a year to ripen and draw a lot of energy from the plant. Pests are rare, but check leaf bases for mealybugs and scale and wipe them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Wear gloves when you divide or repot, because the sap can irritate sensitive skin. Keep pruning snips and knives closed and stored away from children when you are done.

Pet notes

The ASPCA lists clivia as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. It contains lycorine and related alkaloids. Chewing it can cause vomiting, drooling, and diarrhea, and eating a large amount can cause tremors, seizures, low blood pressure, and heart rhythm problems. The ASPCA notes the bulb is the most poisonous part; on a clivia that means the thick base and roots, so take extra care when repotting or dividing. Keep the plant where pets cannot reach it, and clean up trimmed leaves. If a pet chews on a clivia, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away. See what to do if a cat eats a plant and what to do if a dog eats a plant.

Bottom line

Bright indirect light, a slightly crowded pot, and careful watering keep a clivia healthy. The flowers come from one extra step: a cool, dry rest of about two months, followed by warmth and water once the stalk is 6 inches tall.

Related reading

• Christmas cactus bloom care
• Anthurium indoor bloom care
• Snake plant and ZZ for low light winter rooms
• Moving citrus and tropicals indoors for winter

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