Re: dry shade/clivia
Dave Poole wrote:
>
> Lauw de Jager wrote:
>
> >Dear Angela and Moira,
> >You are quite right, but may I just add that Clivia does even better
> >when it has some water during the summer period and is planted in soil
> >with lots of organic matter (typical for wooded areas)
>
> I have to agree with this - they are pretty drought tolerant, but
> rarely give of their best when subjected to almost constantly dry
> conditions at the root. When actively growing, Clivias thrive on
> copious amounts of moisture and regular liquid feeds. It is during
> the coolest months of the year that they prefer to be dry. Of course
> they will tolerate dry shade at all times, but rarely do they perform
> as well under such conditions.
>
> A couple of years ago, I raised some seedlings from my plants and
> these have remained out of doors - winter and summer, after their
> first potting following germination. To confound everything that is
> said about them, the seedlings have been subjected to full sun at all
> times and have never shown any indication of scorch. In contrast, the
> parent plants will not tolerate our summer sun and have to be placed
> in fairly deep shade when out of doors. So far, the seedlings have
> tolerated minus 3C without the remotest sign of damage and appear to
> be remarkably hardy. Now, although I consider Strelitzia reginae and
> nicolai to be just on the borderline for remaining out of doors
> permanently here, I would never have believed that of Clivia miniata.
Hi Dave
Clivia in my garden will happily survive -3C undamaged, but only if
under the cover of evergreen trees (NZ natives in my case). Out in the
open they don't collapse with these sort of temps, but suffer leaf
damage and usually the destruction of developing flower buds.
I was interested to hear of your experience with the seedlings. There
does seem to be quite a possibility with some species of gradually
acclimatising them to cooler conditions. For instance, one may bring in
to a garden a developed plant from a warmer clime late in summer only to
have it succumb to the cold of its first winter. In contrast, if the
same plant were to be introduced in late spring, so that it lives with
the local climate all summer and then slowly cools down with it during
Autumn, it is far more likely to survive the local cold.
Growing seedlings would. I am sure, be an even more effective method.
Those which initially survive cold in open ground will give a good
chance of selecting for whatever hardiness their genomes contain.
>
> In a fit of excessive optimism, I allowed both Haemanthus albiflos and
> Scadoxus (Haemanthus) multiflorus to remain out of doors a couple of
> years ago. Both have overwintered exceptionally well and have not
> been brought back inside since. Although they flower somewhat later
> than when grown indoors, they perform with equal vigour.
I don't grow H albiflos because I don't happen to like it (flower and
foliage seem too out of proportion), but have had the Scadoxus for many
years. I must admit to being a bit chicken and keeping mine in a pot
which goes under the slight shelter of my (clear) terrace roof over
winter. However, with the mildness if recent winters I am sure it would
have survived in the open, as it does in many other parts of the
country. I now have several daughter bulbs reaching good size, so may
transfer one to an outside bed next spring. Incidently the Haemanthus is
definitely hardy outdoors in the lower lying suburbs around here.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
