rick i would love to start some clivia again. i sold my giant pot of them when i moved. i have a red amarylis making big fat seed heads right now and several small bulbs from the last time it made seeds. they are not an unusual variety though. maybe there is something else on my list you would like. i can send SASBE of course or maybe a small box with postage would be better to protect such tender seeds Here is a link that might be useful: ricjo22's exchange list

light or no light, it really doesn't matter. Mine all get light and are sown on top of the seed starting soil. The freshness of the seed is the indicator for soaking or not soaking. If the seed is a translucent green and fresh, I don't soak. If the seed skin is more brownish or the seed slightly wrinkled then it gets soaked for at least 24 hours. Don't knick the seed as it doesn't have a hard seed coat, just a skin. You can carefully remove the skin over the micropore if you want but you don't really need to. The soil needs to be consistantly moist (not wet). Your biggest threat is fungus, so plan to have a fungicide ready just in case the seed becomes infected. I plant mine under plastic domes. When the leaves touch the top of the dome, I remove it. Just remember through their life they like a fast draining planting medium more like orchids. Let it go to the dry side before watering again. Bloom time is about the time they get their 13th leaf and a few weeks of cool weather to set the bloom bud in the meristem. Put them outside in a shaded area for a few weeks in the fall and bring them in before first frost, or put them in the garage for 4 to 6 weeks in late fall (a garage that will not let them freeze). Just remember that for the most part do nothing to try and set a bloom until the plant has at least 13 leaves. This is usually about the time the plant is 3 years old. Hope that helps. I have about 1,200 of these. Jim Black Near Tulsa,OK Zone 6b

I feel your pain Hardytropical!!! And very nice and healthy seedlings you got there! I went "variegated seeds" crazy to early this year and bought A LOT from China of Ebay. The $1/seed looked so cheap and very tempting. And just like your experience, A LOT of them had very poor germination and NOT "good quality" or "beautiful" as stated in their listing AT ALL!!! With most of them germinating green leafed, albino, or with just a very faint variegation. On the other hand, I received some clivia seeds from a friend in South Africa with 6 variegated seeds. All of them germinated with very good variegation and are growing strong. Same thing with the clivia seeds I imported from Japan which had very good germination and strong seedlings. This very big loss($$$), waste of time/effort and disappointment has made me decide to make my own variegated seeds. At least I know what I am planting and the exact variegated clivia plant and berries that the seeds came from. LOLOL...And the worst part about this Ebay thing is, by the time your seeds germinate, your 45 days to complain on Ebay or Paypal is wayyyyyyy gone. Same thing with those pre-selling of seeds...several months before you receive the item. I mean, what's the "Buyer Protection" for if this is further allowed? LESSON LEARNED: Only purchase your seeds from clivia growers who have produced the seeds themselves or acquired/imported them from reliable clivia growers too. It is better to purchase a variegated clivia plant where you can see the variegation already than seeds if your only want a few to add to your collection. Believe me...this is a lesson very well learned!!! Happy clivia gardening to all!

Sure you can. Just keep them away from direct sun. They love indirect (dappled) sun. You can find some links on my web site if you wish to read more? Enjoy your Clivia!! Here is a link that might be useful: My website