How to Propagate Clivia nobilis by Division: A Detailed Guide

  Clivia nobilis gets its name because its flowers hang down like a bowed head smiling. Asexual propagation of ornamental plants includes methods such as cuttings, division, layering and grafting, but clivias are generally propagated only by division, and this method is even more commonly used for Clivia nobilis.

  To propagate by division, you first need to make a few preparations:

  1. For home pot cultivation, prepare a flower pot. A clay pot is best; do not buy porcelain or ceramic pots just for their attractive surface, because they have poor air permeability, which is not conducive to the plant's development and growth.

  2. Prepare the growing medium, which is best disinfected first. If using a mix of humus soil and fine sand, the humus soil should be sprayed and disinfected with a 1000-2000 times water solution of potassium permanganate; the fine river sand should also be scalded and disinfected with boiling water, to prevent the seedlings from being infected by pathogens and rotting.

  3. Prepare a small amount of charcoal powder to coat the wounds, for absorbing moisture and preventing rot.

  4. Sharpen the cutting knife, and finally give it several dozen quick dry strokes (without water) on the whetstone, so that the blade becomes very hot, in order to kill pathogens.

  Specific operation method:

  1. When dividing, first take the mother clivia out of the pot, remove the old soil, and find the axillary buds that can be divided. If the offset grows on the outer edge of the mother plant and is fairly small, you can hold the bulb part with one hand and pinch the base of the offset with the other, give it a twist and pull, and the offset will come away from the mother plant; if the offset is thick and sturdy and not easy to pull off, you should cut it off with the prepared sharp knife. Never force it off, so as not to damage the young plant.

  2. After the offset is cut off, immediately coat the wound with dry charcoal powder to absorb the flowing sap and prevent rot.

  3. Next, plant the offset in a pot. When planting, the planting depth should be just enough to bury the base of the offset's false bulb; the part near the seedling should be kept slightly higher, and cover with disinfected sandy soil.

  4. After planting, water thoroughly once right away, and when the wound has healed after 2 weeks, add another layer of potting soil. Generally it takes 1-2 months to grow new roots, and 1-2 years to bloom.

  Clivia nobilis propagated by division has relatively stable heredity and can maintain the various characteristics of the original species. After it blooms each spring, divide the offsets from beside the mother plant of Clivia nobilis and cultivate them independently; generally insert them in soil containing sand, and after about two months, once they have rooted, they can be grown in a pot.

  Notes:

  1. Clivia nobilis should not be watered too much in cultivation; keeping it moist is enough. May to June is the plum rain season, so rainwater should be kept from washing over Clivia nobilis, to avoid root rot;

  2. In summer, take care to spray water on Clivia nobilis appropriately to lower the temperature, while in autumn the soil should be top-dressed with fertilizer to promote leaf growth, and in winter the soil should be kept moist, which is beneficial for flowering.