Botanical name |
Clivia miniata |
Other names |
Bush lily; boslelie (Afrikaans) |
Family |
Amaryllidaceae |
Dimensions |
A perennial plant growing from bulbous root core or stem that acts as a leaf base to about 60 cm, clump forming |
Description of stem |
Leaves emanate from bulb |
Description of leaves |
Strap shaped dark green leaves of up to 50cm emanating from a fleshy underground stem |
Description of flowers |
Lavish umbels of orange, salmon or peach coloured trumpet, lily-type flowers appearing in spring; the inner ring of three petals usually bigger than the outer three; a lighter, yellow colour is found in inner base of the trumpet |
Description of seed/fruit |
A red berry |
Description of roots |
Thick and robust roots emanate from the base of the plant |
Variation |
|
Propagation and cultivation |
Plant in well-drained, slightly acid soil, ph between 5.5 and 6.5; partly to fully shaded areas; grown from seed or offsets that are produced spontaneously by mature plants, also by dividing the base; will flower when bulbs are about three years old; needs more watering and slow-release fertiliser in spring and summer; used as houseplants in colder areas although some find them to perform well in cold years |
Tolerances |
Protect from frost and excessive full sunlight |
Uses |
Popular garden subject, widely cultivated, notably also in the Far East; wide-spread medicinal use is made of the plant |
Ecological rarity |
Not threatened |
Pests and diseases |
|
Other |
Contains lycorine, a poison; exported from South Africa since mid-19th century; other Clivia species, such as nobilis, gardenii and caulescens also come from South Africa |
Location |
Shady cool and moist forest areas, sub-tropical coastal forests, growing in humus rich leaf mould |
Distribution (SA provinces) |
Kwazulu-Natal; Eastern Cape; Mpumalanga |
Country |
South Africa; Swaziland |
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