When does Clivia nobilis bloom? Includes cultivation methods
Clivia nobilis is a type of clivia. When it blooms, each small flower hangs downward in a bell shape, as if bowing its head and smiling at people, hence the name “Clivia nobilis”. Clivia nobilis is elegant and solemn, with long narrow leaves and orange-yellow flowers that droop when open in a barrel shape. It is a potted flower used during the Spring Festival to decorate venues, adorn hotels, and beautify the home environment. It is mainly grown in pots, with flowers viewed in winter and spring and leaves viewed in summer and autumn, and it has an obvious dust-absorbing effect. Below we will look at the flowering time and cultivation methods of Clivia nobilis.
When does Clivia nobilis bloom?
The growth period of Clivia nobilis is very long. From a single seed to flowering takes 8 to 10 years, or even longer. Given the characteristics of the flowers, it is very easy to confuse it with Clivia gardenii. Because its growth cycle is very long, it is boldly speculated that the “Clivia nobilis” that was once popular in China may actually have been Clivia gardenii.
How do you grow Clivia nobilis?
1. Soil
Clivia nobilis is suitable for soil rich in humus. This kind of soil has good air permeability, good water permeability, and is fertile and slightly acidic (PH6.5). In humus soil, mixing in about 20% sand grains is beneficial for root growth. When cultivating, use pots that gradually increase in size as the plant grows. When growing one-year-old seedlings, a 3-inch pot is suitable. In the second year, change to a 5-inch pot, and afterward change to a pot one size larger every 1 to 2 years. Repotting can be done in spring and autumn.
2. Light
Throughout the cultivation process, try not to let the plant receive direct sunlight. About four hours a day in scattered sunlight is enough. Too strong light will make the leaves narrower. In summer, Clivia nobilis avoids high temperatures and strong sunlight, so it should be placed in an environment with higher air humidity and shade, with attention to ventilation. In winter, Clivia nobilis fears cold, so it should be moved indoors to a position with sufficient light. A room temperature of around 5°C is enough for it to overwinter safely. If conditions permit, it is best to keep the environmental temperature stable between 15 and 25°C.
3. Watering
Clivia nobilis has well-developed fleshy roots that can store a relatively large amount of water and has a certain tolerance for drought. General experience holds that a soil moisture content of about 30% is suitable. Follow the rule of watering again when the surface of the potting soil in the three pots looks dry. In winter, water once every 3 to 5 days; in spring and autumn, water once every 1 to 2 days; in summer, appropriately increase the watering frequency. Seedlings need little water, while the flowering period requires more water. When watering, do not pour water on the leaves to prevent leaf rot. If dust is found on the leaves, gently wipe the leaf surface with a soft cloth, or brush it with a soft-bristled brush. Do not rinse heavily with water. Potted plants should not be watered too much; just keeping them moist is enough. During the plum rain season from May to June, prevent rain from washing over them, so as to avoid root and leaf disease and rot. During the high-temperature period in summer, pay attention to spraying water to lower the temperature.
4. Fertilizing
Clivia nobilis likes fertilizer, but too much fertilizer can cause root rot. In addition to applying base fertilizer, topdressing should follow the method of “light fertilizer applied frequently”. Apply base fertilizer when repotting. In spring and autumn, apply fermented solid fertilizer once a month, and then apply liquid fertilizer once a week. It is best not to topdress, and the whole plant can rely on nutrients accumulated in spring and autumn to grow slowly. When applying solid fertilizer, open the potting soil and bury it 2 cm deep in the soil, not directly touching the root system to avoid burning it. When applying liquid fertilizer, for small seedlings a fertilizer-to-water ratio of 1:40 is better, and for large and medium flowers 1:20 is better. The best time to fertilize is early morning, and avoid splashing it onto the leaves. After applying liquid fertilizer, water once in time, but the water does not need to be too much. On one hand, it dissolves the fertilizer; on the other hand, it can rinse the newly grown fleshy roots to prevent damage to the new roots. Depending on the season, the type of fertilizer should be emphasized differently. In winter and spring, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as bone meal, etc.; in autumn, apply more nitrogen fertilizer, such as soybean cake water; in summer, foliar topdressing is often used, spraying the leaves with 0.1% monopotassium phosphate or superphosphate, etc. Foliar topdressing can be carried out in all four seasons.
5. Pruning
After flowering, if you do not plan to keep seeds, cut off the flowers in time.
6. Repotting
Flowering plants can be repotted every year in spring after flowering. When repotting, keep as much of the root-protecting soil as possible, prune branches and aged roots, apply sufficient organic fertilizer at the bottom of the pot, water thoroughly after planting to settle the roots, provide shade, and keep the potting soil moist but not waterlogged. After the plant recovers, resume normal management.
7. Pest and disease control
(1) Sunscald: the leaves all turn yellow, caused by long periods of strong direct light in summer. Shade cultivation should be used, and leaves that have already turned yellow can be cut off.
(2) Root rot: its symptoms are that the leaves begin to turn yellow from the leaf tip, and few or no new leaves grow. The cause is too much water in the potting soil or pathogens entering through wounds from broken roots during planting. Solution: carefully dig the plant out of the soil to check. If a small part of the root system is rotten, cut off the rotten part, coat the cut surface with sulfur powder or plant ash, and then replace with new soil and replant. If most of the root system is rotten, cut off all the roots from the root crown, disinfect with a copper sulfate (CUSO4) aqueous solution diluted 200 times, then insert it into river sand. Keep the pot sand moist but on the dry side, place it in a ventilated and shaded place, and let it grow new roots.
(3) “Jiajian”: during cultivation, Clivia nobilis often develops the phenomenon that after forming flower buds it cannot send out the scape and cannot bloom, which is called “jiajian”. This is related to temperature and fertilizer. The main cause of jiajian is unsuitable temperature. The flowering period of Clivia nobilis is mostly from December to March of the following year. If the room temperature at this time is below 14°C and the day-night temperature difference is also small, the scape grows slowly after emerging, causing the jiajian phenomenon. The solution is: when the scape shows its head, immediately raise the room temperature to above 20°C. At night, the room temperature is best around 12°C, so that the day-night temperature difference reaches above 18°C, which can prevent jiajian. You can also pour 25°C warm water into the soil to force the scape. When the room temperature is too low, you can make a frame with plastic film and cover it outside the flower pot, then place it in the sun to increase the temperature and force the “scape”.
(4) Anthracnose: this disease mostly occurs in rainy and humid seasons, and the lesions are mostly on the edges of the middle and lower leaves. In the early stage of the disease, moist brown small spots appear on the leaves, then gradually expand into oval lesions, and concentric rings form on the lesions. In the later stage, the lesions dry up and many small black spots are scattered on them. Control methods: first, in late autumn or early spring, remove dead branches and fallen leaves and promptly cut off diseased branches, and burn them together; second, before the disease occurs, spray 65% zineb 600 times solution for protection; third, fertilize and water reasonably, and pay attention to ventilation and light transmission; fourth, in the early stage of the disease, spray 50% carbendazim diluted 500 to 800 times, or 50% thiophanate solution, or 75% chlorothalonil solution diluted 600 to 800 times.