This plant grows best in bright shade or morning sun in a well-drained soil with regular occasional irrigation and will take temperatures down to about 28 degrees F.

Clivia nobilis grows naturally on the summer rainfall east coast of South Africa where it is often found in sand dunes and upwards into the Zuurberg Mountains to an altitude of 2,000 feet where it grows along river banks and rocky outcrops. In 1815 William Burchell first collected this plant near Grahamstown and it the first Clivia to be described in 1828 by Kew botanist John Lindley who named it to honor of Lady Charlotte Florentia Clive who married Duke Hugh Percy to become Charlotte Florentia Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, who was an avid plant lover and gardener. The specific epithet is the Latin word meaning "noble" or "noteworthy". This species became a popular plant in Europe, but this popularity was eclipsed by Clivia miniata when it was imported and since that time Clivia nobilis has become relatively rare in cultivation. We grew this plant from 1999 until 2014. It is one parent of several hybrid Clivia x cyrtanthiflora cultivars that we continued to grow. 

This information about Clivia nobilis displayed on this web page is based on research we have conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations we have made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how our crops have performed in containers in the nursery field. Where appropriate, we will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.