Re: clivia

barbara sargent wrote:
> 
> Thanks to all of you who gave me hints about the clivia. The leaves do get
> scorched in the summer so the summer sun could be part of the problem. As
> for chilling--I don't know because there are lots of clivia around here and
> they bloom whereas mine don't and, actually, we do have cold enough nights
> in the winter--in the 40's on average. But I am happy to know that they can
> be transplanted. I may try that if I can find a proper spot. Perhaps more
> assiduous watering in summer will also help.
> 
 Barbara 

Coming from a country where Clivias succeed in many areas, not a few of
which are entirely frost-free I am puzzled by this suggesion they need
winter cold. The general opinion here is that, while they will tolerate
some winter cold, the thing which makes them flower is a dry period in
Autumn, which is what they would get in their native South Africa..
While I get light frosts here and  quite a bit of winter cold,  I had a
friend who used to live not far away but in a frost-free seaside suburb
and I remember her showing me a magnificent potted specimen of one of
the newer large-flowered hybrids in full bloom, certainly without the
benefit of cooling, but I presume it had been subjected to the required
dry period..

In fact the account in the most authoritative book I have (written by a
very noted local plantsman and revised recently by another)  suggests
making sure of this for potted plants by turning them on their sides for
two or three months through autumn.

They summarise the preferred conditions as follows:- "The three main
essentials for success are protection from heavy frosts, shade for the
foliage from direct sunlight and _dry conditions_ in the autumn_".

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
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