Zimmerman

E.P Zimmerman was a 3rd generation German Clivia hybridizer who migrated to the U.S. in 1907. Mr. Zimmerman, locating himself in frost free Carlsbad, CA, created a sensation in the 1930's when he showed off the incredible results of his interspecific hybrids. In an article in "The Florists Exchange and Horticultural Trade World (July 21, 1934) it is noted that Zimmerman's first hybrids were the result of using Clivia nobilis as the seed parent and a yellow form of C. lindeni as the pollen parent, resulting in floriferous plants which were "gorgeously beautiful in pastel shades of yellow and red". In this article Zimmerman remarked that his hybrids were quite distinct from Clivia miniata which he "had but one plant for comparison purposes". At that time he had about 5,000 plants and intended to double that number before he planted them into beds to produce cut flowers for the floral market. In an article by Charlotte M. Hoak in "California Garden" (Winter 1958) the author remembers visiting the Zimmerman nursery and states that the "Zimmerman hybrids, which stand for the best that have been produced in America ... are characterized by a very wide variation in coloring from light salmon-orange through rich orange to reddish-orange". She further states that "It seems very sad that his fine hybrids should meet the tragic fate of neglect" but also notes that Mr. James Gridlian of Oakhurst Gardens still carries a stock of these superior hybrids". Unfortunately, none of the collection is known to still exist.

My thanks to Rodger Boddaert and Robin Todd for much of the above information regarding Zimmerman and Gridlian

Hummel

Ed Hummel was a well known hybridizer during the fifties. Hummel hybridized Euphorbia, Echeveria, Aloe and Clivia. See a Picture of one of Hummel's variegated hybrids at the GlassHouseWorks site.

Anderson

Horace Anderson was a breeder of Clivia and many other plants in Leucadia, CA. He has been called the "father of horticulture" in California and was an inductee into the California Floriculture Hall of Fame 1994. More information about Horace Anderson is on his grandson Eric's website for Seedco.

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