Set out below is some information which may provide some general guidance.  A very good and informative website to visit is the The Clivia Society where you will find a wealth of information, including the history and culture of clivia, nutrition, diseases and pests, potting media selection, how to breed better clivias (better yellows, better broadleaf yellows, etc.) to cover just a few topics. 

The majority of clivia available around the world are seed grown but offset pieces from plants are sometimes available.  Some of the better clivias have been tissue cultured but are very difficult to source.

The genetic background of seed and plant material may be of interest. Some commercial clivia lines are known as Belgiums, Old Belgian Hybrids, Sahin Twins, etc. and although the population in each of these strains may appear similar, individuals within the population will contain many different genotypic combinations. As with all seed grown clivia, variability can be observed in leaf shape, width, length and flower petal shape, length, width and colour. Genetic variation exists amongst clivias and without it there would be no breeders, no collectors and little interest in clivias. Genetic variation is important to the plant's survival.  If the whole population was similar then a single event (disease, pest, drought, flood, heat, cold, etc) could destroy the whole population.

Some clivia may be merely denoted as the colour of the flower, for example, orange, pastel, yellow or cream. Some clivia may be referenced as a cross, for example, Yellow x Peach, denoting that a yellow flowering clivia has been crossed with a peach flowering clivia.  In this case the maternal (seed bearing) parent is a non described Yellow (as it is first referenced) and the pollen parent is a non described peach. 

Some clivia set no seed or very little seed if self pollinated. This is the case with many cream and yellow flowering clivia (but there are exceptions due to the genetic variation). Hence most cream or yellow clivia derived from seed will be a cross between two clivia plants, for example, Yellow A x Yellow B.  If a resulting seedling is particularly good, it may be back crossed over the parent plant with similar traits and the seed from that cross would be denoted as Yellow A x (Yellow A x Yellow B) or if over another clivia, for example, Cream A then "Cream A x (Yellow A x Yellow B)."  Some breeders believe that the maternal parent has greater influence over the resulting hybridising outcome.  If Yellow B is the better flower then they would have a preference for crosses of Yellow B x Yellow A rather than Yellow A x Yellow B. However, once again it may depend upon the genetic background of the plants. 

On The Clivia Society website you can also find a link to an International Register of named clivia. Sometimes these named clivia or offsets from them become available for sale and are often denoted by the registered name. The newer cultivars are usually very difficult to secure and expensive as it can take six years before one sees the efforts of hybridising and then very few can be expected to be show winners. Hybridising is fun and offers opportunities to create something new and better. 

New Colours

Breeders are seeking to develop a range of new flower colours and this is the hot topic amongst clivia enthusiasts. The purpose of this note is to help explain how external and genetic factors influence flower colouration.  Scientific knowledge about the laws of inheritance continue to evolve.  Inheritance patterns are often more complex than predicted by Gregor Mendel and this appears to be so with clivia breeding.   

Firstly, external factors can impact upon the way genes express themselves, for example, clivia flower colour traits. Flower colour can be changed by temperature and both light quality and quantity as well as pH and potentially various micronutrients (metals, etc). This explains why plants may flower differently in different environments. Lower light levels may result in some creams appearing to flower near white or white and some interspecific crosses flower paler colours. Placing the same plants in lighter environments results in sronger flower colouration, for example, the near white flowering clivia when placed in new lighter conditions will flower cream or yellow in the following year. Bright light and cool temperatures during flower development can make blooms more vibrant  Soil pH can affect on cellular pH through actual nutrient availability (possible nutrient "lock-up" or overload). As cellular pH increases, the pigment changes structure and reflects different wavelengths of light. For example, lowering the pH of soil can result in some oranges flowering red.

The colour in clivia flowers is based on chemicals called pigments that either absorb or reflect light of certain colours.  Three different pigments - chlorophyll, flavonoids, and carotenoids - mixed in different proportions, give colour to plants. By mixing and matching the three pigments, an endless variety of colors can be created.  Cellular pH has a profound effect on plant colour and is also the reason why clivia flower colour changes as the flowers age. Flavonoids are arranged like a sandwich and cellular pH determines the space - squashing or widening the stacking.

Chlorophyll, responsible for green color (chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B), is located in plastids called chloroplasts. The carotenoids that impart yellow through orange colors are found in plastids called chromoplasts. In the carotenoid pathway of enzyme reactions, Lycopene molecules are formed and are the first compound to be formed that is coloured (pinkish). Further enzymes in the pathway convert the Lycopene molecules into gamma-carotene, alpha carotene, beta carontene and lycopene.

Unlike the above two pigments, flavonoids are located within cell vacuoles (microscopic water sacs within each cell). They make up three-quarters of each flower cell and are responsible for red through blue colors. Flavonoids are divided into two groups-pigmented anthocyanins and colourless co-pigments. Anthocyanins come in a variety of different colours - pelargonidin, cyanidin. delphinidin, peonidin, petunidin and malvidin and in clivias they are typicaly seen as pink, orange or red pigments. The substitution pattern of anthocyanin pigments is a main determinant of flower colour. Cytochromes are key enzymes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway and their action is directly visible through the colour of the flower.

Each gene in plants is made up of two alleles, with one allele on each chromosome. One allele is inherited from each parent. Each time a plant cell divides the DNA that makes up its genes needs to be replicated and mistakes made during this process are called mutations.  These mutations may result in a change in the expression domains of the structural genes that encode the enzymes in the carotene and anthocyanin pathways. The pattern of pigmentation is largely determined by the expression domains of the structural genes that encode the enzymes.

Flower and Leaf Variation

One needs to take into consideration other factors besides flower colour - will the resulting flowers be consistent in terms petal length, width, number, size, shape, etc. and then of course there is the foliage and whether that will also be consistant in width, size, length, shape, etc. Once again genetics plays a big part in the determination of these factors just as it does with colour. Even with an offset we have found there is no guarantee that the offset will have identical foliage and flowers to the parent. Also removing an offset too early from the parent plant, for example, may permanently impact adversely on flower quality. Seemingly genetically identical plants can show variation in foliage (height, width, habit, etc.) and flowers (petal length, width, colour, number, etc.)

Please be realistic in your expectations about hybridising. From our limited experience seed grown plants may not be true to form in terms of foliage and flower size, shape, colour, etc.  This is particularly so with the interspecifics (crosses between clivia species) and the new mutant colours such as pink. If it was that easy to breed for consistancy in every desirable attribute then we would all have perfect clivias, wouldn't we? We hope our disappointments will help you make informed and realistic decisions.  If you want 100% certainty buy your clivia in flower!   If you want a cheaper alternative with the potential to obtain that "must have"  flowering clivia and understand the inherient risks then try germinating elite cross seed or purchase an unflowered elite cross seedling. 

Please be careful in making your clivia selections and if unsure please contact us to seek advice or assistance with your purchase. Unless otherwise stated on this web site, all clivia are seed grown rather than offsets or tissue cultured.  All photos are for illustrative purposes only.

Tissue Culture

Given the limitations with seed grown clivia, in 2004 we commenced tissue culture trials on clivia.  In 2005 we successfully decanted micropropagated clivia.  Decantering tissue cultured clivia has presented difficulties for some so we are very excited about the prospect of cloning elite plants.   We are now growing on tissue cultured plants to test for genetic uniformity.

Flowering Clivia

Given the limitations with seed grown clivia, Pine Mountain Nursery grows thousands of clivia up to flowering size, these include apricots, bicolours, bronzes, creams, oranges, pastels, peaches, pinks, reds and yellows with or without strong green centres.  Pine Mountain also has a very large collection of variegates as well as an extensive range of Chinese clivia.  From late August to October elite clivia plants will be released in bud or in flower for sale and information on these releases will be advised in our newsletter, "Its all about Clivias".  This will provide an opportunity to see the quality of the plant, its flower and petal colour. Don't miss this opportunity to capitalise on your investments in clivia by buying a proven flowering clivia. Just send an e-mail with the word subscribe in the subject header to be included in the distribution of this newsletter. 

Cultivation

Clivias are a very robust plant and once their minium requirements are met they will thrive on neglect. They will grow well outdoors in a mild frost free environment or a sheltered area.  They make a spectacular display indoors and make the ultimate indoor plant as they do not need to be rested periodically in a shaded/part sunny position.  

If planting outdoors ensure that they are planted in a well drained raised bed.  For example, better drainage can be achieved by adding one part washed river sand to nine parts soil. Clivias look absolutely fantastic mass planted - particularly on sloping embankments!

What to do on receiving your plants 

After you receive your clivias give them a quick drink before potting up by placing the roots in some in the water for no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Use a free draining potting media that meets Australian standards (We often add washed river sand at a ratio of 1:9 to the potting mix). The plant base should never be buried below the surface of the potting media as this may promote collar rot. Never allow loose potting media to be trapped in the plant sheaths as this may promote stem rot. After potting give the plant a light water. The plant needs to settle down and the potting media should be kept on the drier side of moist for at least a week. Use a slow release 8 to 9 month general fertilizer low in nitrogen. We do not use products high in nitrogen as too much nitrogen may make the plant susceptible to root and collar rot. We do not use organic fertilizer for the same reason.

Problems to watch for

If the outer leaves on your plant start to yellow it may be sign that you are over watering your plant or the potting mix is not free draining enough. If you find that roots are collapsing then clean off the dead roots and re-pot into potting media and restrict water application until the plant has recovered. During hot summer months keep your potted plants in a cool place.

Enjoy your clivias!