Re: clivia

Moira,

I grow Clivia in a climate controled conservatory and I have no problem
each winter making them bloom. We do nothing special to them. They are
watered regularly and seldom if ever see temps lower than 50*F. Right now
they are in full bloom.

-------------------------------------------
Jon M. Stewart
Associate Curator
Rio Grande Botanic Garden
2601 Central Ave NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
505/848-7148, fax: 848-7192
http://www.cabq.gov/biopark


                                                                                                  
                    Tony and Moira Ryan                                                           
                    <theryans@xtra.co.nz       To:     Mediterannean Plants List                  
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                    owner-medit-plants@u       Subject:     Re: clivia                            
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                    01/28/03 01:49 AM                                                             
                    Please respond to                                                             
                    theryans                                                                      
                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  




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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