Bush lily

Clivia miniata

Scientific name

Clivia miniata is a clump-forming perennial with dark green, strap-shaped leaves which arise from a fleshy underground stem. The flowering heads of brilliant orange (rarely yellow), trumpet-shaped flowers appear mainly in spring (August to November) but also sporadically at other times of the year. The deep green, shiny leaves are a perfect foil for the masses of orange flowers.

The genus Clivia is endemic to southern Africa, meaning that they do not occur naturally anywhere else in the world! The wild bush lily grows in the forests of Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Swaziland. The habitat may vary from subtropical coastal forest to ravines in high-altitude forest. It grows in dappled shade, often in large colonies. The soil is well-drained and humus rich. Occasionally they may be found growing in the fork of a tree.