Hi Dries,
I'm not sure about Sarasota but it should be great. But Clivia grow well in Naples, which is just an hour or so south, down the west coast, in USDA zone 10/11. Naples can have a couple of really cool nights in Jan., most years in the 50s, but some nights in the 40s. It doesn't sound too bad for them, eh? The soil is sand, basicly, with a thin layer of organic matter, litter from lots of really, really, rapidly growing tropical stuff, and depending on the area, pines and palmettos. It rains a lot in the summer, and not that much in the winter.[ hmm, the water was hard in Naples,and full of calcium, and just a little swampy. But rain conditions should give them the water they like. There may be reverse osmosis plants there now.] Sarasota may be just into zones 9-10 and very rarely be hit by a frost. It too, is on the coast.

I was kind of shocked, a dozen years ago, when some of the fancy hotels and stores, began using them as bedding plants there. I mean, it seemed a little casual, almost disrespectful. When I got over my snit, gosh, they were lovely. The amarillis I was just getting used to, funny they bloom in late spring, may, june? not in a pot from the store for Christmas.

So Yeah, Clivia probably love it there. They do have some native distant cousins. Some Crinums [ cousins?] range up along the states of the gulf coast and up the east coast to the carolinas, a couple are a little hardier. Every few years, like oranges, they might need a sheet over them in a really cold snap, or maybe some extra [pine straw?] mulch?
It's so funny to think of them as woodland plants, The big clumps, probably do, tolerate sudden cold snaps. See, I did look at quite a few of your links.

Please, do a Clivia growing in the woodland habitat thread, with pictures, if you could. What do they like when they're at home? Who are there favorite neighbors,? etc..

Florida has some great websites for care, and nurseries for tropical and fragrant plants. South Florida is the most jungley part of the US, especially if you have a yard. Try the Florida forum. There's a Florida native plant society, with knowledgable folks too. Wish that I could be more up to to date. Someone is going to have specifics for you.
Good luck,
Florey

hey florey
clivias in their natural habitat love shade and generally grow in between rocks and then almost creep on the rock, the stems can become very long as they grow old.the moss that cover the rock then generally keep the roots moist. it shares this habitat with another beautiful plant, the streptocarpus, a cousin of the african violet and also propagated in much the same way, also common in these environs are the sout african impatiens and south african begonia. i haven't really seen it grow wild in very hot locations but more cloud forests where constant mist keeps the lily at a fairly comfortable temperature, but where cold to very cold snaps including minus temperatures are possible. any q just ask

Hi bobbejaantjie,
Thanks. Especially, for the note on the neighbors. Cloud forests in S.A. It's a new concept.
The only cloud forest I've ever seen, was in Canada near the mouth of the St. Laurence river, at Mt. Albert. It was grey, misty and full of lichens on the tree trunks, and full of bears. It got very cold in the winter [minus ~20].

Minus temps, Guess that's the same as a light frost. It sounds like you use Centigrade. The USDA Zone system has maps of the lowest temperature [F] that is likely in an area. Clivias probably like zones 9 & 10?
Mine have to come in, in the winter, but love a woodsy summer vacation.

Mine in z9 south Louisiana stay out all year in a protected spot under a live oak, with a large-growing ginger to the east breaking the wind. They've only lost foliage from the cold once--usually I throw a frost blanket over them if we're expecting an actual freeze. At first I took them in the house, and then in an unheated greenhouse, but it was too warm and I either didn't get bloom or got the bloom down in the foliage.

9b, I don't protect them, they are on the north side, no protection from the elements per se. No rocks anywhere. Flat, sandy alkaline soil. Bloom infrequently. Hot and humid in summer. No night time cooling. Cool, humid & wet in winter. Rare freezing temps.
Tally HO!

I've added some new editions here near Tampa, FL - have 8 that I purchased from a guy in Central Florida - I have 4 blooming now - some I can tell already they are going to struggle. The guy in Central FL has had great success with many different hybrids but of course some will take much better to our local climate so so far I see really good success with half my stock! This guy sells on ebay - quality guy!

I have a huge clump naturalize on the north side of my house here in the Tampa Bay area.

I do have soaker hoses for late in the dry season and I mulch with oak leaves but otherwise they do fine with no care or orther fertizers.