Posted bare-rooted on Mondays · Australia-wide except WA, TAS and NT · Get release alerts
Key points
- Free drainage and good air flow matter most.
- Water in the morning, never in the evening, and not on days over 30°C.
- Slow-release fertiliser in the growing season and mid-winter; go easy on nitrogen.
- Protect from frost, and leave seedlings alone until 18 months.
When your plant arrives
Our plants are shipped bare-rooted and cleaned, wrapped in damp material to keep them humid in transit. Plant them in the garden or pot them up soon after they arrive. They will be fine for a short time if kept damp in a cool, shaded spot first.
See Potting, repotting and dividing for a step-by-step guide.
Soil and watering
Choose a well-drained soil or potting mix, and never overwater established plants. We don’t water when the temperature is over 30°C, to prevent bacterial rot and losing the plant. Never water clivias in the evening or if rain is forecast.
Air flow
Clivias need good air flow around them to stay healthy. Keep pots raised off the ground. Poor air flow leads to mealybug, leaf spots and other problems.
Feeding and pest control
Use a quality slow-release fertiliser (9-month type) with trace elements during the growing season and in mid-winter to promote flowering. Too much nitrogen can stop a clivia from flowering.
Control pests such as mealybug, snails, slugs and fungus gnats with suitable products, used according to the label. See Pests and problems.
Winter care
Clivias rest over winter. Water sparingly, as the plants store enough moisture in their roots. Protect them from frost by growing them under tree canopies, shade structures or roof eaves. In very cold areas with heavy frost, a frost cloth is essential.
Seedlings
Never pot up clivia seedlings before they are 18 months old. Planting out one-year-old seedlings can result in high losses. See Raising clivias from seed.
Grow guide
Keep learning
Start here: light, water, potting mix and when they flower.
Month-by-month jobs for a frost-prone garden.
The usual reasons, with a quick flowering check.
Group 1 and 2 yellows, cross names and hand-pollinating.
Pots, mixes, dividing offsets and bare-root arrivals.
From ripe berry to first leaf, the Valewood way.
Mealybug, lily caterpillar, rots and leaf marks.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most.
Umbels, tepals, splits and selfs explained.
Release alerts
Be first to know about the next release
Plants are released in small batches, mostly in flowering season, and the best go quickly. Join the release list and we’ll email you when new plants go live.
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