Although the name of Clivia includes "orchid", it is not an orchid
Clivia (scientific name: Clivia miniata), also known as sword-leaf bush lily and large-leaf bush lily, is an ornamental flower of the genus Clivia in the Amaryllidaceae family. Native to southern South Africa. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with a flowering period of 30-50 days, mainly in winter and spring, and it also blooms around New Year's Day and the Spring Festival. It dislikes strong light and is a semi-shade plant; it prefers cool conditions and dislikes high temperatures. The optimum growing temperature is 15-25°C, and growth stops below 5°C. It prefers rich, well-drained soil and moist soil, and dislikes dry environments. Clivia has high ornamental value, and in China it is often grown in pots in greenhouses for viewing. It is propagated by division or seeds. C. nobilis has the same uses, is cultivated in greenhouses in various places, and has diverse flower colors. The lifespan of Clivia reaches several decades or longer. The Clivia commonly cultivated in China is the red and orange flower series of Clivia miniata.
The leaves of Clivia are broad and strap-shaped, hard and thick in texture, and have gloss and veins. If managed properly, the leaves are neatly arranged in a fan shape, very beautiful. The flower scape emerges from the leaf axils, and it generally blooms only when it has 20-25 leaves. The flowers are arranged in an umbel, with small stalked florets, funnel-shaped, in colors such as orange-yellow, pale yellow, orange-red, light red, and deep red. The berry is spherical, green when unripe, and purplish-red when mature.
Clivia is native to the mountain forests of southern Africa, where the year-round temperature is 15-25°C, so it is both afraid of heat and not cold-tolerant, and likes a semi-shady and moist environment. Its best growing temperature is between 18-22°C; below 5°C or above 30°C, growth will be inhibited. Clivia likes a ventilated environment and prefers deep, fertile, loose soil, and is suitable for indoor cultivation.
The Clivia plant is noble and dignified, elegant and handsome. Although its name contains the character "orchid", it is not an orchid. Orchids are plants of the Orchidaceae family, while Clivia is a plant of the Amaryllidaceae family; the two belong to different plant families.