NATAL LILY
CLIVIA MINIATA
This plant is grown for its impressive clusters of trumpet flowers in orange, yellow, or apricot, with up to 20 flowers per spike. In order for flowers to form, this bulbous plant needs a period of dormancy in winter. A native of woodlands in South Africa, it needs protection from direct sunlight.
HEIGHT 18in (45cm)
SPREAD 18in (45cm)
FLOWERS Trumpetlike clusters
FOLIAGE Dark green, straplike
LIGHT Filtered sun
TEMPERATURE 50–73°F (10–23°C)
CARE Challenging
PLACE OF ORIGIN South Africa
CARE
This plant needs two rooms—a warm room for summer and a cooler one to rest in throughout the winter months. The perfect place to encourage its magnificent flowers is a bright room that’s protected from direct sunlight. If you leave your Natal lily in a bright, heated room all year long, it simply won’t flower. However, you should avoid moving this plant when it’s in bud—it’s best to find the right location during the spring and summer months and then stick to it.
Grow in commercial potting mix, feed with a balanced fertilizer, and don’t be tempted to overpot as a tight pot will encourage blooms. Water well during the spring and summer months; in winter, reduce watering dramatically, stop feeding, and allow the plant to rest until the spring. Plants can be repotted and divided at this time. When doing this, make sure that the neck of the bulb is above the soil level.
After the summer flowers have faded, cut the stem back close to the base of the plant, unless you want to save the seed for sowing.
PROBLEM SOLVING If a plant fails to flower, this is often because it’s too young, has not had a period of winter dormancy, or has been overpotted. These plants rarely suffer from pests, but they will rot if overwatered. This also causes the leaves to turn yellow.
Natal lilies may not flower in the first year, but your patience will be rewarded.
DISPLAY
Natal lilies look spectacular when placed on a table in a decorative pot. To prevent the flowers from leaning toward the light, make sure the pot can easily be turned. For a dramatic display, partner your plant with a collection of begonias. Their dramatic foliage is a wonderful contrast to the long, strappy foliage, and they enjoy similar conditions.
Display your plant at a height that will let you peer into its gorgeous blooms.
Houseplants A–Z | NATAL LILY
ALSO TRY
There are several other houseplants that thrive in a bright, sunny room with filtered light. The following options aren’t quite as dramatic as the Natal lily, but they’ll certainly flourish and look great alongside it:
- Cigar plant (Cuphea ignea), height 12in (30cm). Red, cigar-shaped flowers make this a novelty plant. It looks best next to plants with more stature.
- Goldfish plant (Columnea gloriosa), height/trail 24in (60cm). This plant has orange, tubular flowers with waxy, trailing foliage.