Clivia miniata


Clivia miniata, the Natal lily, bush lily, or Kaffir lily, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clivia of the family Amaryllidaceae, native to woodland habitats in South Africa as well as in Swaziland. Given suitable conditions it grows into large clumps and is surprisingly water wise. It is also reportedly naturalized in Mexico. It is a popular plant for shady areas and is commonly seen growing in older established suburbs in most Australian states. It is also popular in New Zealand, Japan, China and the USA, particularly California.

Description

It grows to a height of about, and flowers are red, orange or yellow, sometimes with a faint, but very sweet perfume. It is sometimes known in cultivation as "Kaffir lily". The same name is also applied to the genus Hesperantha.
It contains small amounts of lycorine, making it poisonous.
The Latin specific epithet miniata means “cinnabar red”.

Cultivation

With a minimum temperature of, in temperate regions C. miniata is normally cultivated as a houseplant. Like its relative C. nobilis it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, along with the variety C. miniata var. citrina. In warmer sites, it can grow outdoors and is used in landscapes for its attractive evergreen foliage and showy flowers. This clump-forming plant spreads via rhizomes and is particularly suited for shady areas.
Cultivars include Clivia miniata ‘Kirstenbosch Splendour’, bred by Graham Duncan, which illustrates the cover of the Kirstenbosch centenary book.

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