Clivias: Poor flowering

Submitted by Lorraine on Fri, 02/27/2015 - 15:50

The problem

A gardener sent me the following comment: 'My Clivias don't send up long stems with the flowers at the end. The flowers bloom at the base of the plant and as you can imagine, they are not an impressive sight.'

Having experienced the same problem with some of my Scadoxus at this time, I contacted Clivia grower and breeder, Philip Crous, in Grahamstown, for his advice.

An expert's advice

'I often have the same problem with Clivias, especially young plants in their first and second flowering season. To the best of my knowledge it is an environmental issue relating to the inconsistent weather patterns we have experienced during the past number of years. It is recommended that feeding the plants with organic fertilizers such as 'Bounceback', starting immediately, would stimulate vigorous growth which in turn should result in more advanced flower development next season. The flowers for next year are already formed inside the plant as the past flower starts dying back. If the Clivias are grown in containers, it would be advisable to pot them up into a larger size container right now, ensuring that organic feeding also starts now. One can apply feeding every 6 to 8 weeks.'

So now we know

My thanks to Philip for his contribution - it fits in with what I have been experiencing with a couple of my Scadoxus puniceus as well as with one of my potted Clivia nobilis. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures, but anybody who has had this problem will be sure to recognise the symptoms from the description.

Does anybody out there have a photo of this phenomenon to share with us?.

Comments

Clivias blom op biae kort stingels

Hi Lorraine, Ek merk dat jy aandui dat jy vra vir foto's. Ons woon in Pretoria en het 'n paar plante wat onder 'n waaier palm staan. Ons het in mid Julie nog lae temperature in die nag (6 grade C). Die Clivias het reeds in Junie/Julie begin blom en dit lyk kompleet of die blomme begin oopgaan wanneer dit uit die bol kom. Die stingels is skaars meer as 10cm lank wanneer die blom vol gevorm is. Ons het gedink dat dit 'n voedingsprobleem is aangesien die blomme ook nie sterk is nie. Die plante is egter in die somer ook aangeval deur ruspes wat binne die blare (en in die bol) in vreet, moontlik bolwurm? advise oor die hoeveelheid water en voiding sal waardeer word.