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Re: clivia

At 08:10 AM 2/7/98 +0000, you wrote:
 I seldom post to the group but I have a question about
>clivia, I was just at home depot and they had clivia ! for 19.00 ! the
>plant was large and well established with several pups coming up to the
>side of the main plant,no flower head is noted, here are my questions.
>Should I assume that this plant has not been given the winter rest it
>needs to flower? If so would putting it to rest now produce flowers?
>My other clivia is down in the basement where it is about 50 degrees 
>near a window and is due to come up stairs with my plumeria around march
>.Should I wait untill I see a flower head to bring it up? I am in zone 5
>so we still have a long way to go before spring
>    Thanks for any input
>             Laura

I don't rest my two clivias at all, at least not officially.  They are let
dry out considerably between waterings.  The woman who gave me my first one
kept hers on the hearth across the room from a south facing window wall and
she said it flowered after every third leaf. 

One of mine flowered last summer and I am letting it set a few seeds and was
very surprised when it bloomed again at Christmas.  I didn't think it would
when it was producing seeds.

The other one is a cluster of three plants, one bloomed last fall one at
Christmas and one in full bloom right now.

To me the object of houseplants is to get as much bloom as possible as often
as possible.  I think we pay too much attention to rest periods.  After all,
these are tropical plants used to growing year round, except in areas which
have dry seasons.  Even then I suspect they rest because of lack of water,
not because they need to.  That's just my theory.  I may be all wet, or dry,
as the case may be.:-)>

If I had your plant I would keep it upstairs, let it dry out pretty well
between waterings and see what happens.

Ruth Z
Ruth Zavitz                                     
rzavitz@execulink.com                            
Freelance Writer & Gardening Consultant, zone 6 Southern Ontario
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