Brighten the Shade: Easy Tips for Growing Happy, Healthy Clivias
Clivias are one of the easiest ways to bring vibrant colour to shady parts of your garden—especially in early spring, when their brilliant orange blooms light up the landscape in September and October. Best of all, Clivia miniata now comes in a range of stunning colours including cream, yellow, salmon, peach, and bronze.
As indigenous South African plants, Clivias are perfectly suited to our climate. With just dappled shade and a little care, they’ll reward you with dazzling flowers year after year.
Top Tips for Clivia Care
Water wisely: Once a week in summer is enough. In winter, natural rainfall usually suffices.
Drainage is key: Avoid soggy soil. Clivias thrive in well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter—similar to their natural forest-floor habitat.
Plant smart: Don’t plant too deep. Spread roots out horizontally to avoid rot.
Light it right: Dappled sunlight or morning sun is ideal. Deep shade can reduce flowering.
Feed regularly: Use a 3:1:5 slow-release fertiliser in spring and autumn. In pots, apply liquid feed like Seagro monthly.
Watch for pests: Mealie bugs can appear in dense plantings. Improve air circulation and wipe leaves with a mix of 50% water and 50% methylated spirits.
Prevent problems: Apply systemic insecticide and fungicide every six months.
Check the leaves: Browning or light green edges often signal stress from poor watering or underfeeding.
Leave the berries: Clivia berries are harmless and attractive—no need to remove them.
Fun fact: Planting yellow and orange clivias together won’t affect their flower colour, but cross-pollinated seeds may produce different hues.
