Clivia miniata ("Ukezakikunshiran")

Japanese name: ウケザキクンシラン （君子蘭）
Scientific name: Clivia miniata

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial growing 40–50 cm tall.
It has fleshy roots.
The leaves are 40–60 cm long, broad, flat and sword-shaped, arranged in 2 rows.
The leaf bases overlap in a tube and enclose the growing point, so the base looks bulb-like at ground level.
A flower stalk extends from the center of the leaves and bears an umbel at the tip with 15–20 flowers.
There are several bracts below the inflorescence.
The flowers are orange to scarlet, funnel-shaped, large, and face upward.
The fruit is 1–2 cm across and ripens in autumn.
There are garden cultivars with white or yellow flowers and with variegated leaves.

[Cultivation]
It is weak against strong light, excess moisture and frost, and tolerates dryness and weak light.
It is usually grown in a pot.
Propagate by division or from seed.
Bright shade with good ventilation suits it.
Strong summer sun causes leaf scorch, so take care.
If sunlight comes from only one direction, the whole plant leans, so turn the pot from time to time so that light falls evenly.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; in winter, keep it on the dry side.
The overwintering temperature must be 5°C or higher, and it must be kept from frost.
After flower buds form in winter, if the plant is not exposed to temperatures of about 10–14°C for about 60 days, the flower stalk will not elongate and the flowers will open without it, so do not keep it in too warm a place.
If you do not intend to collect seed, cut the flower stalk at its base after flowering so the plant does not become exhausted.
Disease rarely occurs unless the plant is kept too wet.

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