Clivia gardenii aka Major Garden's Clivia

Clivia gardenii belongs to the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for more than one year. Its home range lies in South Africa. It runs from the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. Names include Major Garden’s clivia and Major Garden’s forest lily. They recall Robert J. Garden, who collected it in Natal. He gathered plants in 1855 while stationed there. He sent them to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. The plant bloomed there in 1856. William Hooker then named the species to honour Garden.

This plant grows upright to about 2 feet [0.61 metres]. It spreads to about 1.7 feet [0.51 metres]. This size suits beds, borders, and pots in the home. Groups of orange flowers hang from the plant. Each bloom has a tube shape. Inside, the throats have a yellow cast and green tips. The stamens reach out past the blooms. Chicago Botanic Garden lists red flowers too. Its bloom dates run from January through April. Bright red berries with soft flesh follow the blooms. The hanging flowers and red fruit mark different seasons.

In the wild, it grows in deep forest shade. It grows on steep cliffs too, and sometimes in marshy spots. These sites show the range of its wild homes. Chicago Botanic Garden lists part or full shade for gardens. Shade thus helps guide where to plant it. Its blooms add colour where some plants find growth hard. The same source calls this plant easy to grow. It lists moderate water needs and USDA hardiness zones 10–12. It also names zone 10 for growth outdoors.

This clivia can grow in the home as well. Give it medium light, but keep it out of direct sun. Use a light potting mix that drains well. Chicago Botanic Garden calls for plenty of organic matter and perlite. This advice does not just copy its wetter wild homes. Good drainage still forms part of its stated care needs. Its small size makes it suited to life in a pot.

In warm gardens, it serves in beds or borders. It offers blooms where shade limits the choice of plants. Chicago Botanic Garden reports that bees visit the plant. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit it too. These guests add wildlife interest to the flowers and fruit.