Maybe on Instagram or Pinterest you have found some photos of blue clivias, and this has led you to wonder if this flower really exists or, on the contrary, it is a montage.
We are going to solve all your doubts about it in this article. In which you will also find advice on how to care for your clivia so that it has spectacular flowering in its most common colors.
Characteristics of clivia
This plant, belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, is native to South Africa. In the middle of the XNUMXth century it was taken to England and there It became a very popular variety in Victorian gardens.
Over time, clivias have become highly appreciated plants throughout Europe, and it is common to see them in winter gardens. In addition, they give very good results as indoor plants.
Let's see some of its most outstanding features:
- Leaves. This plant is distinguished by having long, arched and lanceolate leaves, dark green. Their peculiarity is that they can reach quite a height, up to 60 centimeters.
- Flowers. It is often said that clivias are among the most beautiful winter flowers. They emerge in clusters at the top of long, thin stems. They are trumpet-shaped and are usually bright colors such as yellow or orange. Additionally, its petals have a shiny and somewhat waxy appearance.
- Inflorescence. The flowers are grouped in umbels, an umbrella-shaped cluster, and appear between the months of February and May. As long as the bulb has gone through a vegetative period, without any type of irrigation, during the previous winter.
- Fruits. After the flowers, the clivia develops bright red berry-shaped fruits. Within them we find seeds with which we can continue reproducing the plant.
Do blue clivias exist?
In nature, There are very few plants that are naturally capable of producing blue flowers. Because the components that are necessary to generate this color are not present in many of them.
Although you may have seen blue clivia flowers on the Internet, and even found places that sell their seeds, we regret to tell you that it ise is not a natural color in this plant.
If you buy blue clivia seeds, Most likely what will end up growing is another plant that may be similar, but it won't be a clivia. Or that, directly, a clivia of the usual colors emerges.
In other cases, What is done is dye the flowers to give them a different color. But the next flowers will be their natural color.
Clivia care
You can't get blue clivias, but you can get naturally colored ones to bloom during the winter and fill your home with their beauty and color. Let's see what care is the most suitable for this plant:
Light conditions for clivia
This is a plant that thrives best in a place where it can receive indirect light. In fact, Direct sunlight, if intense, can end up burning its leaves.
A good location for it is a room that is as cool as possible, and mmuch better if it has a north orientation. In addition, it is important that the room has good ventilation, since this plant does not tolerate humid environments very well.
Perfect temperature for this plant
The most suitable temperature for clivia to grow strong and healthy is between 18º and 20º C, but it can resist up to -7ºC. Nevertheless, It is not a good idea to have it outside when it is cold, because it could lose all its leaves.
What is also not good is having it in a room where it is constantly exposed to heating. The heat and excessive dryness of the environment could affect your health.
Irrigation conditions
For better flowering, during the winter we are not going to water the clivias. We will start doing it in February, when we see the floral rod appear. Then we begin watering gradually until summer arrives.
In summer it needs a greater supply of water, but We will always let the top layer of the substrate dry. cWith the arrival of autumn, we gradually reduce watering, and when winter arrives we suspend it completely.
Planting and fertilization medium
The clivia requires a substrate that has a good drainage capacity and that is rich in organic matter, so that it provides all the nutrients it needs for good growth.
We can improve the drainage capacity of the substrate by adding a little perlite, or some pebbles to the bottom of the pot.
Regarding fertilization, It is advisable to apply a balanced fertilizer during spring and summer, which is when the plant is in the growth phase. From March to September we can add fertilizer every 15 days with the irrigation water.
Pruning clivias
Although this plant does not need pruning as such, If it is advisable to remove yellow leaves and those that show signs of being damaged or diseased. This improves the aesthetics of the plant and encourages the growth of new leaves.
Exactly the same thing happens with flowers. When they begin to show signs of having finished their life cycle, it is advisable to remove them. This way we stimulate the appearance of new flowers.
Ways of reproduction of clivia
Although we cannot get blue clivias, we can reproduce the varieties of other colors that we have at home.
The clivia is easily reproduced through suckers that appear in the lower part of the plant. You can cut them in spring, after flowering, and plant them in another pot.
You can also take cuttings directly from the root. Operation that you can carry out when you are going to transplant your clivia.
The other option is to plant your seeds. However, keep in mind that you will have to wait a long time until the new plant emerges.
Blue clivias are pretty, but they're just a fantasy. However, Those in colors like yellow or orange are a reality and are spectacular. Do you dare to give them a chance?