Clivia is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family from South Africa. Clivias are rhizomatous plants with thick, branching roots. Displaying absolutely gorgeous flowers, they are becoming quite popular throughout the world. Hybridizers have been expanding on the beautiful color combinations nature had already provided, so in addition to the bright orange Clivia miniata commonly appearing in landscapes here in Southern California, we are now seeing gorgeous yellows, peaches, pinks, and some near-whites. New color combinations are also being introduced by breeders working with the pendulous forms of Clivia, Clivia nobilis, Clivia gardenii, and Clivia caulescens.
In addition to the beauty of the flowers, the foliage is exquisite. Indeed, while most South African, American, Australian, and Japanese breeders are experimenting with flower variations, many Chinese breeders are focusing their energy on the leaves, selecting plants for leaf width, veining, and variegation.
Clivias possess one more claim to fame: they are amazingly easy to grow. They prefer shade, which means that they thrive and flower in areas where other plants often languish. If you ever have a chance to visit the Getty Center in Los Angeles, one of the first things you'll note as you drive under the overpass which covers the entrace is that both sides of the entry are lined with Clivia miniata. These plants never see the sun, but were still in bloom in April! Clivias will grow happily even when root bound. Howard Koopowitz, who quite literally wrote the book on Clivias, observed that they "will suffer much abuse and neglect, and on top of that they are difficult to kill." A useful book is Clivias by Harold Koopowitz published in 2002. See References. Such a plant deserves a place in every gardener's heart!
Clivia Cyrtanthiflora group is a name given to hybrids between Clivia miniata and Clivia nobilis with narrow pendent flowers. Photos by John Ingram
The first was growing at the LA Arboretum this spring with a huge number of blooms! The second was a large peach and the last a F1 x cyrtanthiflora from Rudo Lotter
Clivia miniata has bright green leaves and scarlet flowers with a yellow throat. Photos by Ann Marie Rametta, Arnold Trachtenberg who wrote: An orange given to me by a neighbor who has had it for 40 years, and Mary Sue Ittner who grew hers from seed.
There are many Clivia miniata cultivars. Below are pictures of some examples.
Clivia miniata 'Abigail' has purple seed pods. Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata apricot spider
This plant was found at a garden centre. Typically bears 12 blossoms of soft apricot. Photo:Jamie Vande
Clivia miniata 'Aurea' x 'Tropical Sunset' Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'Doris' is a dark orange-red variety from Conway. Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'Jenny' is a Dave Conway selection, orange with a yellow stripe. Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'Lemon Chiffon' is a yellow variety from Conway with nicely formed flowers. Photo by John Ingram.
Clivia miniata 'Lemon Ice' is a yellow Dave Conway selection that becomes paler as it ages. Photo by John Ingram.
Clivia miniata 'Little Charm' Series from Joe Solomone, a series of diminutive flowers in medium-sized umbels. Photo by John Ingram.
Clivia miniata 'Sabrine Delphine' is a Conway selection with dark flowers, brick red deepening to dark maroon. Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'San Marcos Yellow' Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'Solomone Yellow' is a yellow flowered strain from Joe Solomone of Watsonville, California. Photos taken June 2007 by Jay Yourch.
Clivia miniata 'Tiny Tim' is a miniature with short leaves and mid orange tulip shaped flowers with a large white throat that are carried just above the foliage. Photo by John Ingram
Clivia miniata 'Vico Yellow' was bred by Sir Peter Smithers and was one of the first tissue-cultured cultivars offered in the trade. It is a creamy pale yellow with a darker throat and is also known as 'Smithers' Yellow'. The first photo was taken by John Ingram. The second and third photos taken by Arnold Trachtenberg are of a plant grown from an IBS tissue culture distribution in 2000 and blooming for the first time in 2008.
Clivia miniata yellow
The first photo was taken by Mary Sue Ittner who wrote: "In March 1998 I received two seeds of a yellow Clivia miniata. Both germinated and are blooming for the first time in March 2004 five years later." The next two photos were taken by Liz Waterman.
Clivia nobilis is a coastal species from the Eastern Cape. It gows in the understory of stabilized dune forests. They grow in almost pure sand, but in areas with dry winters and wet summers. Leaves are notched or bluntly rounded dark green. The vermillion-orange with green tip flowers appear in the spring. Photo by Cameron McMaster.
Photos below were taken by John Ingram. It's not clear what their parentage is.
Clivia 'Hypnos'
Clivia 'Terracotta Treasure'
A white throated Tulip
An Interspecific from Rudo Lotter
Jim Shields has posted a lot of information about this genus on his 
website
Return to the PBS wiki Photographs And Information page.