Thanks Spike! I can't wait to see and hear about all those fascinating beauties!

I have recently gotten a Clavia with palns on putting it outside in the summer. Does it require full sun, shade ...?

I think this will be a great forum. I have two clivias and one has produced two pups. When they get a little bigger I'll be asking how to separate them from the Mother plant.

What a great idea! I'm always looking for names of new and especially *edible* plants from South Africa - not only do I love growing them, but I keep alot of SA plants around for my leopard tortoises because that is their homeland and many of these plants are part of their natural diet!

Thanks so much!

Kathy

Thanks for starting this one. I live in Central California and thus a Mediterranean Climate Zone. I have one Clivia and it is in bloom at the present time. It has been in the same pot for many years. I have heard that they are more apt to bloom if pot bound.

I have a Clivia in a pot. It's just now putting up a bloom stalk. Mine is young, this is going on it's 3rd year. It bloomed last year for the first time.
It still has berries on it from last year. Does anyone know how long it takes for them to ripen? All but one is still green. I've heard they are easy to start from seed.

wanda

Wanda, mine took around 10 months to ripen. Here is info that I got from the bulbs forum , and I had almost 100% germination rate.
take the seeds out of the berry (3-5 seeds/berry but sometimes only one), sow not too deep in a well drained soil (I stuck mine half way through in the soil), and dont let dry. Keep warm in a sunny location. That does the trick!
Mine took around 2-3 weeks until I could see teh root knobs.

This forum looks very promising, thank you Spike!
Is there any chance it can be made for uploading pictures or linked to its own gallery?
Just tell me, why is the Ansellia africana on the forum front page GREEN?????
:-)
Maddy

This is going to be good! Thanks! Looking forward to everything connected to this subject.

WOW! Spike, you granted our wish. I hope that the two responses above, from S.Africans, are indicative of participation from the gardening folks over there. Having asked for this forum, I am going to take the initiative to post a "Let's Introduce Ourselves" thread, and will come visit often. Being an expat S.African, I am fairly knowledgeable of the S.African native plants, but there is such a vast array! I am unfamiliar with the plant you chose as our picture, someone referred to it as a succulent? I expected to see a Clivia, Strelitzia, Arum lily, or Agapanthus ... noticed how many Clivia questions are already pouring in? This is lovely, thank you so much, I hope you are rewarded with increased membership.
P.S. I am going to send a private email to Silverhill Seeds and ask them if they want to become one of your advertisers ... this would be a very good place for them to get exposure. Thanks again! Delina

Thanks, Spike! Here in So. Calif. we grow so many SO. African plants!

Spike, Thanks again for for this great forum! Arum

My clivia seeds are ripening rapidly now(turning red). I planted 14 seeds last week. My plants are sending up bloom stalks at the same time last years seeds are ripening. This year I hand pollinated to get more seeds to develope. They increased by 3 times as a result. They do germinate at the same 70 degrees as most seeds. The long wait for a seedling to bloom is the only rub. Al

Mangofox , Clivias like a bit of shade rather than full sun. Garrick

A number of years ago I made a large purchase of seed from Silverhill Seed in an effort to find some new plants that can handle the heat of the Phoenix area. While not all were successful, I did have great luck with several trees. Currently have S.A. Leadwood (combretum imberbe), Brandberg Acacia (a. montis-usti),Fever Tree (acacia xanthophloea), erythrina humeana Raja, schotia latifolia, and euclea pseudebenus growing happily in my yard. Many great South African plants can easily handle the desert climate. Nice to see a forum dedicated to them. Still looking for a source for erythrina decorah seeds. Help!! Jeff

Thanks Spike. A wonderful addition which I am sure will be much used! Joanmary

Brilliant! I've been looking for a South African forum for ages and here it is. Can't wait to get chatting to people about one of the wealthiest floras in the world! 8600 endemic species in the Western Capes fynbos alone! Bring on the questions & queries and lets share knowledge.

I never thought to look to the Garden Web for a forum on South African natives before planning and installing such a special garden here on the South Coast of California. The great number of such species and cultivars is amazing although growing them successfully seems to be quite a challenge.

I AM SO GLAD TO SEE THIS FORUM. I WAS LOOKING TO SEE WHAT GARDEN WEB SAID ABOUT LACHENALIA AND HERE I AM. I WANT TO HERE FROM PROTEA GROWERS OUT THERE ! ONE FAMILY I AM TOTALLY UNSUCCESSFUL WITH-BUT THEN I AM A ZONE 7 GREENHOUSE GROWER.

CG

Looking for any info on propagating klavia lilies from seed

Not sure about klavia lilies...Might you be thinking of Clivia?? If you are - check out "dries' " website from this forum. He is a Clivia fanatic - and kindly.

You might also want to ask in the Bulbs forum.

If it is Clivia you're looking at - they're not hard from seed but they are slow-growers afterward - unless you can pamper them with warmth.

I recently bought seedlings of erythrina humeana raja and am wondering if I should keep them in pots or plant them in the ground. We live in the foothills near Pasadena - high and dry. Any suggestions? They are currently in 2" pots. Thanks!