How to Propagate Clivia? A Detailed Introduction to Common Propagation Methods
Clivia (Clivia miniata) is native to the subtropical mountain forests of southern Africa. It is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant, commonly propagated by sowing and division, and can also be propagated from old roots. Below, the editor introduces these propagation methods for Clivia one by one!
Clivia Seed Propagation Method
Clivia prefers slightly acidic soil, with a pH value of 6-6.5 being suitable. The time requirement for propagating Clivia by sowing is not strict; it can be sown in spring, autumn and winter, but temperature is an important factor. It is best to sow at 20-25°C, which can meet the temperature requirements for germinating the embryo.
1. Propagation substrate: Use wood shavings, wood bran, or fine sand; some also use leaf mold, but wood shavings or wood bran are best. Then find a plastic basket, or a breathable clay pot. Taking wood shavings as the substrate soil as an example, first disinfect it, then soak the disinfected wood shavings thoroughly with water, put them in the basket, press down a bit, and level them.
2. Seed treatment: Put the seeds in warm water, about 20-30 degrees, soak for 30 minutes, or one hour, then place the seeds one by one with their small eye facing down, spaced apart, in order. After arranging them, cover the seeds with 2-3 cm of wood shavings, gently press flat and neat. After the above steps are completed, spray with water thoroughly, and place the basket in a breathable, ventilated place, and it is done.
3. Daily management: Propagation should follow the principles of ventilation and maintaining moisture. If breeding for the first time, one generally turns over the wood shavings to check the seeds, so be careful to wash hands clean, or use a clean small wooden stick to turn and check. The substrate must not be contaminated by anything oily. If there is oil, the seeds will be infected.
4. Moisture retention: Normally, as long as the wood shavings are seen to be moist, it is fine. There is no need to water every day; too much water will make the seeds take in too much moisture and rot. If it is too dry and then watered again, there will be no moisture, and if the seeds are too dry they cannot sprout.
5. Heat retention: Generally between 15-30 degrees. Do not place the seeds in a place above 10 degrees; in the north, it is best to keep it above 10 degrees and below 32 degrees. If it is generally too cold, use a lamp for heat retention. Orchid enthusiasts in the south can move it to a sunny place on the balcony at noon to raise the temperature.
6. Water quality: Tap water needs to be left to stand for a day before watering. Do not use tap water directly, because tap water contains chlorine, which affects seed germination.
7. Germination: Normally, with good care, they will germinate in half a month, and some even earlier. After germination, it is best not to turn and check all day, because after germination the sprouts hold the wood shavings into a ball, which is good for growth.
After about 45 days, the germinated seeds become longer and longer, the roots grow downward, and tender green small sheath leaves emerge beside the seeds, growing upward naturally. For daily care, just water well.
Clivia Division Propagation Method
Asexual propagation of flowers includes cutting, division, layering, grafting and other methods, but the asexual propagation of Clivia generally only uses the division method. The drooping clivia (Clivia nobilis) is even more commonly propagated by this method. To propagate by division, first do several preparatory tasks:
1. Preparatory work for division propagation
① For home potted plants, prepare flower pots. Clay pots are best. Do not buy porcelain or ceramic ones just for the sake of a beautiful pot surface, because they have poor breathability, which is not conducive to the plant's development and growth.
② Prepare the medium soil, and it is best to disinfect it. If using leaf mold mixed with fine sand, the leaf mold should be disinfected by spraying with a 1000-2000 times potassium permanganate aqueous solution. Fine river sand should also be scalded and washed with boiling water for disinfection, to avoid the seedlings being infected by pathogens and rotting.
③ Prepare a little charcoal powder to apply to the wounds to absorb moisture and prevent rot.
④ Sharpen the cutting knife, and finally quickly dry-grind it on a whetstone (without adding water) for several dozen strokes, so that the blade becomes highly heated, in order to kill pathogens.
2. Operation method for division propagation
1. First take the mother Clivia plant out of the pot, remove the old soil, and find the axillary buds that can be divided. If the offset is growing on the outer edge of the mother plant and the plant body is relatively small, you can hold the bulb part with one hand and pinch the base of the offset with the other hand, tear and pry it a bit, and the offset can be broken off from the mother body. If the offset is thick and strong and not easy to break off, you should use the prepared sharp knife to cut it off. Never forcibly break it, so as not to damage the young plant. After the offset is cut off, immediately apply dry charcoal powder to the wound to absorb the flowing liquid and prevent rot. Next, plant the offset in a pot.
2. The planting depth should be such that the false bulb at the base of the offset is buried, and the part near the seedling should be made slightly higher, and cover with disinfected sandy soil. After planting, water thoroughly once immediately, and after 2 weeks when the wound has healed, add another layer of culture soil. Generally, it takes 1-2 months to grow new roots, and 1-2 years to bloom. Clivia propagated by division has relatively stable heredity and can maintain the various characteristics of the original species.
Clivia Old Root Propagation Method
The fleshy roots of Clivia have a strong regenerative capacity. Based on this characteristic, for those Clivia plants that are older, you can break off the old roots when repotting and changing soil in spring, and after treatment force them to regenerate new roots, and they can become a new Clivia plant in the same year. The specific method is as follows:
1. Choose old Clivia roots of suitable thickness, with a diameter of 1.2 cm to 1.5 cm being good. If too thin, the seedlings produced grow slowly; if too short, it affects the plant's growth. Use a pin to insert into the middle of the root, or use a blade to cut a 0.3 cm to 0.5 cm slit at the part where the old root is attached, and apply B12 medicinal solution to the wound to stimulate growth and promote sprouting.
2. Bury the treated old root in disinfected fine river sand or leaf mold, with a depth of 0.5 cm being suitable. Place it in an environment of 20°C to 25°C. After 3 months, at the cut or pin insertion site, a green spherical small nodule forms. After about 25 more days of care, the spherical small nodule gradually sprouts new buds and becomes a new Clivia plant.