PINK CLIVIA NOBILIS recently in full flower.
CLIVIA NOBILIS was the first species of Clivia to be described in 1828. It was a popular plant in England until the more spectacular Clivia miniata appeared on the scene 30 years later.
DESCRIPTION:
Clivia nobilis is a bulbous plant which develops a rhizome and forms a tight clump as new suckers are produced and the plant becomes larger.
In light shade the leaves are almost horizontal and are relatively short, approximately 300mm in length while in dense shade the leaves are fairly upright and grow to 800mm in length. The width of the leaves can vary between 25-50mm. The leaves are a dull dark green with some forms displaying a pale green stripe down the centre of the leaf similar to the stripe which occurs on the leaves of some C. mirabilis plants. The margins of the leaves on many plants are serrated and the leaf tips are rounded and often notched.
This evergreen, long lived plant produces an inflorescence containing between 40 – 60 pendulous flowers ranging from orange-green to red in colour. It flowers between late autumn and spring. Flowers are followed by clusters of bright red berries the size of a marbles which take a year to ripen. The seed is round and about 6mm in diameter.
The rate of growth of C nobilis is considerably slower than all of the other Clivia species. From seed C nobilis takes at least 6 years or more to flower. Under favourable conditions this species is a long lived plant and will outlive many generations.