Clivia Caulescens

Habitat and Distribution

Clivia caulescens grows on the forest floor of evergreen forests , either on moss and lichen covered rocks or tree trunks. These forests occur in sheltered ravines, moist valleys and incised valley heads, usually south facing. These plants occur in the mountainous areas from Kaapsehoop in the south to Tzaneeneen in the north and from Barberton in the east to Potgietersrus in the west

Plant Structure and Leaves

The plants are 500 mm to 1500 mm in height, with mature plants forming long, leaf-bearing aerial stems up to 1 metre and more with age, reaching up to 3 m in exceptional cases. The leaves are soft, smooth and pointed slightly arching, between 35 and 70 mm broad and 300 to 600 mm long.

Flowers and Berries

The flowers of C. caulescens are pendulous and tubular, coloured orange-red with green tips, which are normally borne in spring and summer (southern hemisphere). The flowers are pendulous and tubular, coloured orange-red with green tips The round red berries ripen in winter, after about 6 months from pollination and contain about 1-4 seeds of between 9 and13 mm in diameter.

Information from the Clivia Society