Clivia In Full Glory

Day 245: Some things deserve a second mention. It has now been 12 days since the Clivia's first flower opened. That initial blossom has dropped, but five more have replaced it and there are three still in bud. Although Clivia belongs to the same family as Amaryllis and resembles that popular winter-blooming plant in both foliage and flower, its habits are dissimilar. Clivia does not have a fully dormant period like Amaryllis, and holds onto its leaves year-'round. It grows from roots rather than from a bulb, and prefers lower light than its cousin. However, it does require a rest period during which time it needs cool nighttime temperatures and less frequent watering. The normal flowering period for Clivia is in March or April, according to everything I've read, so perhaps mine still needs to adjust its schedule. After all, it took twenty years of sitting in the shaded west window of my bedroom before this beauty decided to put on a show.