Discover clivia’s showstopping blooms: a simple guide to easy, rewarding care

Clivia (Clivia miniata), is a classic houseplant that rewards careful, long-term care with magnificent clusters of flowers.

You can encourage clivia to bloom by providing seasonal care and rest. Otherwise, it might remain just a foliage plant.

Older clivia strains differ from newer ones on the market in both flower color and size. Many enthusiasts believe that older heritage clivias bloom more reliably.

Clivia: flowering and care

A suitable pot and repotting

Clivia thrives in a snug pot. If the pot is too large, the plant may focus on foliage instead of flowering.

You only need to repot about every four years. During repotting, you can remove offshoots to start new plants. For an especially grand specimen, let the offshoots keep growing around the base.

Caring for clivia during the growing season

From the beginning of spring, water your clivia thoroughly, allowing the top layer of soil to dry between waterings. During this time, add fertilizer to the water once a month.

Clivia also enjoys a shady spot outdoors in the summer.

Caring for clivia during its rest period

As fall arrives and the weather cools, encourage dormancy by cutting back on watering so the soil dries more between waterings. Overwatering is a common cause of failed blooms. Stop fertilizing as well. During winter, keep your clivia in the brightest spot possible.

If your clivia spent the summer outdoors, bring it inside or onto an enclosed terrace or veranda before the first frosts. The ideal temperature for its rest period is just above 10°C (50°F). In a home with central heating, this can be difficult, but lowering one room’s temperature to around 15–18°C (59–64°F) can help.

Avoid placing your clivia close to a radiator, as it can disrupt the conditions needed for blooming.