sneaky little clivias

You never knew that adjective could be applied to a plant, did you?  It's an incorrect usage ~ I'm sure plants don't have hidden agendas ~ it was just the first thing that popped in my head when I spied two buds almost hidden in the clivia foliage.  See them compressed between two strapping leaves??

I've actually been holding out on you since I first discovered them a couple weeks ago.  Shame on me.  I was beyond excited thinking what I was seeing was the makings of a big bodacious bloom stalk.  I've been waiting and waiting for it/them to push up out of the foliage so I could take a really nice photo for you.  Meanwhile, it's become quite obvious, that I do NOT have a bloom stalk at all.  Merely two buds gone rogue. 

I had to gently pull the foliage back to get these shots.  Darn.  Oh well, enjoy the moment, right?  I wasn't expecting any blooms yet anyway.  You might remember this is my first year growing clivias ~ I found both my plants deeply discounted (one at a nursery the other at a big box store).  I have long admired them during winter visits to greenhouses but they were so expensive I always passed on purchasing one.  After bringing these two home, they were repotted and placed in my makeshift greenhouse.  I was just preparing them for a trip to the basement (for a cooling period in hopes of forcing a real bloom stalk) when I found the buds.  

 

I guess the best thing to do now is let them bloom then move them downstairs??  A companion to the clivias (in the makeshift greenhouse) is this Paph orchid (unknown name ~ also bought 50% off ~ are you getting the idea I'm cheap???).  Its bud is very slowly (painfully slow if you ask me) continuing to develop.  I liked the image of it back-lit by morning sun:

 

I need to just leave them all alone and let them do their thing but it's so hard.  The suspense of finding out what I actually bought gets to me ~ I want to see something!!!  That's the downside to buying plants not in bloom and unmarked, right?  Oh well, they were purchased with the thought of helping me survive the long, cold winters.  The element of the unknown adds a bit of excitement to the dreary days and definitely helps fulfill that purpose.  Take your time, keep me on my toes, the days will pass and soon spring will be here again....

Can you believe I'm saying this already ~ it's only November!

Comments

[Janet]

I had a Clivia do that to me too! I was all set for a big ol' bloom and they just hid in the foliage. Glad to see I am not the only one! Mine didn't bloom this year. :-(

[Shady Gardener]

Kathleen, I need to look up Clivia. Yours reminds me of the way "Moses in a Boat" plants bloom. Wonder if they're related?

[Helen at Toronto Gardens]

Kathleen,
I was interested in your story and also the Shady Gardener's comment. As usual, this sent me scurrying to look online. I found that the Moses in a Boat plant (which I'd never heard of before) is a member of the tradescantia family, while clivia is a cousin of amaryllis.

An online article posted in 1996 describes your problem. Here's a clipped part of the text:

"For best results, clivias should be grown in bright diffused light, with the growing medium kept evenly moist during spring and summer. If the plants are allowed to become quite dry for two months in winter, and the growing temperature is lowered to approximately 10 - 15°C, the plants can also be encouraged to flower. Clivia flowers are orange, lily-like, and produced in crowded clusters on top of a thick stem. Once a flower stem has begun to emerge, watering can be increased, and plants moved to a location with normal growing temperatures. In some cases, a mature plant will attempt to flowers even when no rest period has been provided. Flowers produced by such plants are seldom successful, however, because without the proper rest period, the flowering stalk often fails to elongate, leaving the cluster of flowers compressed between the leaves near the base of the plant. Where clivia plants are grown in low light conditions, they will rarely flower, but will serve as reliable foliage plants."

And here's the site it came from: http://gardenline.usask.ca/yards/clivia.html

I've always liked clivias, so thanks for inspiring me to look around for info. Good luck with your babies.

[Marnie]

Poor thing just didn't have the energy to push those blooms up any further. Even flattened by the foliage, we can see the color is pretty.

It is starting to rain here and it is almost totally dark at 3:30 (usually it holds out to 4:30 before the sky is pitch black). How depressing and it's a long time til spring.
Marnie

[Corner Gardener Sue]

I've never grown these, but sure enjoyed reading your post about them. Your photos are awesome!

I like to buy some plants as cheaply as I can, even if it means not being sure what their "names" are. I agree with what you said about enjoying an element of surprise. I also like to splurge sometimes on a plant I've been wanting.

[Kylee from Our Little Acre]

One of my clivias did the same thing earlier this year, after a main, normal bloom. I'm going to put mine in the colder guest bedroom for awhile. Hopefully that will spur them to bloom the right way!

[Catherine]

I had to laugh at the thought of a plant having a hidden agenda :)
I've heard of Clivias, but have never seen one. You managed to get some great pictures even though the flowers were hiding.

[Gail]

I love your indoor plants Kathleen...they cheer me up all winter. Last year I gave into temptation and bought an amaryllis. Who knows if Apple Blossom will flower this winter!
Clivia is one I've read about but don't know, so this shall we a good plant watch adventure. gail

[Sweet Bay]

You're not cheap you're thrifty! :) Those flowers are lovely even if you didn't get a stalk.

[kerri]

My Clivia did this too! I was very interested to read the comment by Helen.
I had mine outside on the front porch during the summer (and fed it) and I overwinter it upstairs in a cool bedroom. I'll try keeping it dry for a couple of months. Good luck with yours!