Hi Ohiofem, I was wondering, since you have been growing clivia for some time now what you would recommend as a very good or possibly the best yellow. I'm interested in saturated color of course, but don't want an overly huge plant. And of course the wider the leaves the better..and of course.. a nice good size flower head..(I don't want much do I.) I see that there are San Marcos yellows availible here and there as full grown plants and then there is Arturo's yellow, and I'm going to google Solomone yellow right now.. I'm sure there are many gorgeous yellows, but one that I might be able to find to purchase in the not too distant future.. I hesitate to buy a full grown plant as I promised my husband these wouldn't get very big (he believed me;-)) so if I start out small as with the seedlings I can sort of edge myself into this without making too much of a splash..if you know what I mean.. I appreciate your advice and anyone else who might have any thoughts or comments would be appreciated too.. Thanks in advance, Donna

I should add in that my apartment is best described as 'freaking freezing' in the winter. I have lost some less-robust houseplants as a result, so temperature is most likely not the cause. Maybe it's too low? I keep some plants on a heat mat, but the north-facing room where my clivias spend the winter is in the low 50's until...um...well, the temp OUTDOORS is higher...lol! --Rr (aka 'the penguin')

Actually, the advice for how to treat Clivias will depend alot on where they are being grown. Here in California, they do quite well in more sun if grown near the coast where it stays cooler in summer, and even though they don't get much winter rain in habitat, they do quite well here in well drained soil with our California winter rains. They can bloom at any time of year in cooler coastal areas like San Francisco, but in more inland areas typically only bloom in late fall to early spring. They seem to love cooler mediterranean climates, which I imagine come close to the temperature range of the mountain ranges they grow in habitat, primarily in shaded ravines with seasonal creeks. They do seem to do best with good drainage, filtered shade and protection from frost, and are not known to do well in locations that are too tropical and don't have sufficient temperature fluctuation between day and night or summer and winter; yet also prefer locations that seldom freeze. I'd tend to agree that too short flower spikes happen more often when they bloom out of season, or are being grown too warm. I have seen regular Clivia miniata blooming all 12 months of the year in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, where temps vary little between summer and winter, and it is very seldom hot. I think you are lucky to even get blooms on Clivia at all in Honolulu. I would have thought these would only bloom well above 4000 foot elevation in Hawaii?

Mine is neglected all winter (Ontario Canada) in the house and goes outside into a shady garden in June. It always blooms profusely for about three weeks til mid-July.