Clivia | Fair Orchids

While Clivias and I go back a long way (to 1968), I elected to refrain from this plant as long as Piping Rock Orchids was offering Clivias at the orchid shows. When Glen Decker retired in 2018, I decided to jump back in, even though my 'collection' at the time consisted of only one not particularly good yellow Clivia miniata. Glen's source in China disappeared during the height of the Covid epidemic, so I basically had to start from scratch. In the absence of commercial breeders on the Eastcoast, initially I sourced primarily via Ebay.

Since 2022 I have imported seed from Utopia Clivias each year, with a few seedlings from the first shipment blooming in 2025 (2 years 8 months), and the majority in 2026 (3 years 8 months). While I sell some seedlings at orchid shows, I usually hold back a few so I can select suitable plants for future in-house breeding.

With the assistance of Mark Priest, who has the necessary import license (my import license covers seeds only), it became possible to bring in new breeding plants from Utopia Clivias in South Africa. Photos on the left are first bloom seedlings selected from their 2025/2026 blooming season, while photos on the right are divisions from Utopia breeding plants. These plants will allow me to expand on the in-house breeding in the future.

Clivia miniata seedlings, October 2025 release

This release is based on the 2024 seed shipment from South Africa (Utopia Clivias). Seedlings are now in 2.1/2" pots. They ship in pot (bare root only if requested). Most are in 4-6 leaf size, a few have reached 7-9 leaf stage. Quantities available vary, while I ordered 10-15 pcs of each, from some crosses I received only 3-4 seeds (all that was available). I did have 98% germination, so there are at least a few available of each (subject to prior sale).

To order, please email with selections, address & preferred method of payment; I will then quote a total for the order.

Clivia miniata is an easy house plant, and often grown alongside orchids. It does well in low light. To induce flowering:

It should be kept dry (= NO watering) from mid November till the inflorescence is clear of the foliage.
Ideally it should be kept in a cooler location simultaneously with the dry spell.
After flowering, it can go outside into medium to deep shade once the last frost date has passed.

I propagate Clivia miniata in three categories:

Standard orange. Here I currently offer both traditional (fairly large) and dwarf plants.
Non-standard color forms. Some of these have orange flowers, but are genetically 50% yellow, etc. Clivia genetics are fairly well understood, but with seed grown plants we do not always get what we hope for ('near whites' can revert to pale yellow, etc.).
With variegated foliage (both orange & yellow flowers).

Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, we could get broad leaf variegated plants from a source in China. That grower no longer responds to communications, so we have had to look elsewhere. I have re-acquired 3 plants from the original Chinese imports; these will be bred whenever they bloom.

I have collected a number of non-standard plants for breeding purposes (as well as seedlings, when available). If you have off-sets from unusual Clivias (green, red, near white, variegated, etc.), I might be interested in buying for use in further breeding; please send photos of the flower, plant & your price to fairorchids@aol.com.

Additionally, I import seed from Utopia Clivias in South Africa each year. From the test shipment (August 2022) I reserved 11 plants; I bloomed 3 of these in April 2025 = 32 months from sowing. With President Trump's changes to tariffs (30% on South African shipments) & elimination of the small shipment duty exemption, my 2025 seed shipment was subject to $430 in unexpected duty.

Please click on the link in next column to download the current Clivia price list (dated 062325, superceeding any prior editions).

Seed propagation:

Most authorities predict approx. 70% rate of germination when you sow Clivia seed.

I follow the basic instructions (pressing seed into the surface of the soil, leaving it partly exposed), but I treat my seed to a high nutrient soil mix, and very high relative humidity. As a result I achieve 95-98% rate, and I bloom the first few plants in less than 3 years.

For full details, please download these two articles:

Growing Clivia from Seed

Seedling Bin = High Humidity Chamber

Clivia genetics have been well documented by Harold Koopowitz. However, as is common with seed grown plants, you do not always get what you want.

In 2025 I bloomed the first two seedlings from a Chinese pastel (standard x multi-tepal) pairing. One was orange with only 6 tepals; the other was yellow and had a single multi-tepal flower.

One pleasant surprise was FO #024, purchased on Ebay based on a so-so photo. Once I got this plant established, in the first blooming each flower had either 10 or 12 tepals; much better than what I had expected. This plant has produced offsets, which will be available in late 2025 (it has 4 pups, of which two are spoken for).

Around the same time I bloomed the first plant from a group of 2-tone seedlings (from a selfing). Original photo of mother plant looks like it might be Conway's Ramona, which I know was in the breeder's collection. I kept this seedling (as FO #063) and selfed it; it produced about 50 seeds, which are currently germinating (spring 2025).

More recently I acquired a group of (narrow leaf yellow x orange Daruma) seedlings, as their genetics might be useful. The leaf width varies, but the first several to bloom have all had strong green throat color (see FO #016.1 to the right (this photo did not capture the green well).

Currently I produce 2-400 seedlings each year. As a general rule, I do not release seedlings for sale till they have at least 3-4 leaves; at that stage they are in individual 2.1/2" square pots. When they outgrow their first pot, they move into a round Quart pot; they stay in that pot till first bloom. Cultural notes on Clivia

I do not sell on Ebay. Seedlings and divisions are sold exclusively through this web site and when I participate in regional orchid shows.

Clivia Price List, June 23 2025 covers larger seedlings from previous years & divisions.

Master Log of Seed Started (for reference only, some items are sold out and the higher numbers have not been released for sale yet).

From the 2025 blooming season, I have a good volume of seed coming along. Most are selfings, but we are also looking to repeat X025 (#008 x Kyle's Yellow/Green); the eventual seedlings will be released in 2027.

South African seedlings from 2024 (prices posted above) at 17 months from date of sowing:

In February 2025 (10°F weather) I rescued 15+ mature multi-stem plants from a collection that would otherwise have been discarded, when the grower went to an assisted living facility. These plants were reportedly bred by Al Manda, and used at the Frick Collection in NYC when in bloom.

The flowers are not quite as full as current breeding lines (see above), but plants are strong with large flower heads and an occasional multi-tepal flower. They were growing haphazardly under orchid benches, so the foliage is not well oriented at the moment.

From this group I have identified two with notable flowers, LZ7 is sort of a 2-tone (almost ghost type), with a near white throat, while LZ10 has significant green in the throat (it doesn't show well in this photo). The other plants have not been individually evaluated yet. Single stem divisions:

FO #008 from Cal-Orchids this well shaped yellow has just a touch of peach.

FO #024 from Kevin Akins consistently sets 8 or 10 tepals, very rarely 12.

FO #063 from Ebay seller seedlings from a selfing will be released fall of 2026.

FO #029 from Kevin Akins initially my best green, now displaced by FO #015.

FO #015 Carolyn Akhtar

FO #010

FO #013 Kim's Red

FO #008 f2

Clivia miniata seedlings, October 2025 release

Clivia miniata is an easy house plant, and often grown alongside orchids. It does well in low light. To induce flowering:

It should be kept dry (= NO watering) from mid November till the inflorescence is clear of the foliage.

Ideally it should be kept in a cooler location simultaneously with the dry spell.

After flowering, it can go outside into medium to deep shade once the last frost date has passed.