NZCLIVIACLUBINCNEWZLETTER - new zealand clivia club

NZ CLIVIACLUB INC NEWZLETTER
‘2004 PEOPLE’S
FAVOURITE CLIVIA’
And the Winner is…..
‘Christo Lotter F2’ grown by Alick McLeman
Photo by Sharron Booth
BREAKING NEWS !
CLIVIA IS NOT A WEED!
As we go to print - Just in from Jean Sanders in
Whangarei - Great News! DoC have retracted
their article re Clivia being Weeds (bet that was
painful ! ) – thanks Jean see more on page 9..
(taken from the Whangarei Leader W/e 12.11.04)
Chairman Dr Keith Hammett khammett@clear.net.nz
Secretary Di Smith nzclivia@clear.net.nz
71 Taylor Road Mangere Bridge
www.nzclivia.org.nz Auckland New Zealand
Ph 64-9-6346807 Mob 0212319200
From the Chairman ....
2004 has been a successful Show Season with shows in
Auckland, Whangarei, Tauranga and New Plymouth. It has
been a wonderful opportunity to bring together a selection
of Clivia plants for discussion. A chance to exchange pollen
and information and of course, meet members.
The prime reason for holding the Auckland and more
especially the regional shows is to educate, exchange
information with selling of plants secondary to this. A
grateful thanks to all volunteers who assisted during the
Shows. A special thanks to Colin and Jean Sanders (Nymet
Gardens), Ian and Barbara Duncalf (Parva Plants) and
Tony Barnes and John Sole (Ngamamaku Gardens) for
hosting the regional shows. We are currently looking at the
feasibility of having shows in Wellington and Rotorua next
year.
The membership has steadily climbed all year and it has
been pleasing to see enthusiasm and enjoyment amongst
the enthusiasts. Bay of Plenty members have set up an
interest group and will be meeting regularly throughout
2005 – Congratulations BOP!
Results are now back for ‘Project X’. The shows were an
excellent opportunity to gather samples for the research
project. I spent a substantial amount of time with Ken
Markham in Wellington going over the results last weekend.
2005 will again be a busy year for us all. We have the
Gardenii & Interspecific Show in May, displaying at the
International Orchid Conference in Hamilton in September
and again our Shows during October.
On behalf of the Committee, I wish you and your families a
very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Kind regards
Keith Hammett - Chairman
Summer Vol. 2.4 November 2004
THE 3 I’S OF CLIVIA
CLIVIA will INSPIRE you, your
Club will INFORM you and you
will INDULGE and eventually
become addicted (sorry - no
known cure !) - Ed
1

REPORT ON THE 2004 CLIVIA SHOWS – AUCKLAND,
WHANGAREI, TAURANGA & NEW PLYMOUTH
Auckland Show (Oct 9/10)
The 2004 Auckland Clivia Show was again held at the
Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens. The weather held off and
the crowds poured in Saturday morning. It was like shopping at
the local mall at the post-Christmas Sales ! It was so exciting
meeting and putting a face to many of the new members.
The show was a resounding success and the display plants
were stunning. It was encouraging to see a large number of
hobbyists display their plants for the first time. As we don’t yet
have competitions, the Club ran a 'Peoples Favourite Clivia'
competition. Visitors to the exhibition are asked 'If you could
take one clivia home with you, which one would it be ?"... The
winner was Alick McLeman’s plant - a Christo Lotter F2 .
Runner-up was David Brundell’s clivia ‘Honey Moon ‘.
Workshops were again held over the weekend. Topics included
: Clivia in South Africa and the species, Basics of Clivia
growing, Hybridising, Nomenclature. Terry Hatch also
conducted a ‘Ramble through the Exhibits’ – Terry explained
the clivia in detail. This was extremely popular with the public.
Visitors were able to purchase an array of clivia plants and
seeds to take home with them from the various growers.
Favourites on display this year, were the apricots, the creams
and the interspecifics. We certainly have a broad spectrum of
clivia shape, colour and size!
On Saturday afternoon we held the AGM. Keith Hammett was
again elected Chairman unopposed and we expect he will carry
out his functions as the superb Chairman he has been for the
past year. Treasurer is Alick McLeman and Di Smith is
Secretary. Following the AGM we held the annual dinner. This
was a fantastically fun affair. We began the evening with a
lucky dip of seeds donated by the lovely John van der Linde.
With only numbers on the pkts, guests did not know what they
were receiving. There were ‘ooohss and arrrrrrrsss” when they
were given the seed descriptions later in the evening. Grateful
thanks to John for his generosity. David Brundell gave an
educational and interesting power-point talk on his recent trip to
Japan and China. A fun time was had by all!
Display plants at 2004 Auckland Show
Photos : by Sharron Booth
Above : Brick Red Green Shown by K Hammett
Photo : Sharron Booth
Below: part of the display during set up Photo by :
A McLeman
2

Above :Variegated Daruma Grown and bred by
K Hammett Photo : Sharron Booth
Lower Right: ‘Alicks Peach’ (Alick McLeman) and
‘Sir John Thouron’(Murray Gow) & Cindy hiding !
Photo : D Smith
NZCC 2004 Volunteers : Terry & Pam Hatch,
Tony Barnes, Bev Gow, Mary Colquhoun, Cindy
Barnes, Murray Gow, Sean Schickerling, Lindsey
Hatch, Cesar Zapata, Bev Wade, Stuart Hill, Keith
Hammett, David Brundell
Behind the camera : Di Smith
Above left – Tony Barnes bloom – Wow !
Above – Gordon Nolan (2 nd Right) & Mary
Colquhoun (Far Right) and friends
Below : Keith, Alick and David (red cap)
In deep discussion! Sean looks on
3

Shows contd..
The first Regional Show was trialled last year in Whangarei.
The Club wanted to “take Clivia to the Kiwis” and not expect
them to come to us. The main purpose of these shows is to
inspire, inform and perhaps coerce the public to indulge in
Clivia (hopefully to the point of addiction). This year we added
Tauranga (Bay of Plenty) and New Plymouth (Taranaki) to the
regionals.
TAURANGA (Oct 16)
Ian and Barbara Duncalf hosted the Clivia Show at their
nursery, Parva Plants in Te Puna. The exhibition was held in
the sorting/potting shed and exhibition plants were exceptional.
Ian along with Keith Hammett, was selling plants and of course
Keith had his usual high standard of blooms as part of the
display. It was a fun day with many of the local members
assisting.
The highlight for me personally, was the new (cyrtanthiflora x
miniata) that Ian had named ‘Diane’ in honour of a significant
birthday I’m having next month.It was an honour and privilege to
see such a beautiful plant with my name on it.” – thanks Ian.
Over Saturday 500 visitors attended the Clivia Display and were
able to wander round the beautifully manicured gardens at Parva
Plants. 6 new members joined the Club from the Bay of Plenty
area.
Thanks to locals Robin, Conrad, Jude, Rex, Dee and especially
Ian and Barb, we had an awesome time !
Top – Ian Duncalf holds some of the
results of his clivia breeding
Middle – ‘Diane’ grown and bred by Ian
Duncalf
Below – Half of the display plants set out
in Ian and Barbaras potting shed
4

Shows Contd…
Whangarei (Oct 16/17)
Again this year the show was hosted at beautiful sprawling
Nymet Gardens (Colin and Jean Sanders). Alick
McLeman, Sharron Booth and David Brundell were
displaying and selling at the Show. Holding the show in
such beautiful surroundings is a bonus as the public are
able to see the clivia growing outside as they walk
around the gardens. The RSPCA benefits from the open
garden and the NZCC made a contribution to their worthy
cause.
New Plymouth (Oct 23/24)
Tony Barnes and John Sole hosted the Clivia Show for 2
days over the weekend. Ngamamaku Gardens is set
15kms out of New Plymouth in a small village called
Oakura. The gardens sprawl over many acres and border
the Mt Egmont National Park. They are situated only 15
mins from the wettest place in NZ. Hence the prolific
growth there. Clivias grow under and over many of the
banks beside the stream. Tony has 3 levels of
shadehouse full of stunning Clivia plants and seedlings.
They overflow outside and many are potted and growing
happily under the native trees and shrubs waiting to be
sold. Keith and Alick were selling along with Tony. The
display was again magnificent. Keith and Alick had many
display plants that were just coming into bloom.
Above : display plants at Whangarei
Left : Sharron Booth & Colin Sanders
Below : Andrew Booth sells his plants
Top : nobilis x miniata
Below : yellow miniata both grown and bred by
Tony Barnes
Below Left : Greensleeves grown and bred by
Keith Hammett
5

Tony Barnes (right) & Keith Hammett (left) taking one of the workshops in the Summerhouse at
Ngamamaku Gardens
Above : ‘Alicks Peach’ grown and bred by
Alick McLeman
Other photos : Ngamamaku Gardens
6

Shows Contd
We went out for dinner on the Saturday evening with the local Taranaki members. What a fun time – they are
awesome people. (More on Bruce and Patti’s home and garden in the next NewZletter). Patti invited us all for
dinner on the Sunday evening and it was a great opportunity to get to know them better and have some fun.
Left : Saturday Dinner at the local pub in
Oakura Dee on left, Patti on right, Tony in
blue
In conclusion, we were encouraged by the intense interest building up amongst Kiwis for clivia. We have a
number of new members and of course membership is growing at a rapid rate (now over 200 members
excluding overseas members) . I was pleased to meet all the members who email or phone regularly. Thanks
to all of you who assisted throughout the month, we couldn’t have done it without you. Clivia grow very well in
our climate outside and inside. We are very fortunate to have a plant in our country that requires such little
attention – dig, plant and leave – that’s our motto and how easy is that? The volcanic soil is favourable, the
drainage is great, the rainfall is more than adequate. Mealy bugs are easily treated and snails are soaked in
local beer ! To our South African friends - Thanks for sharing your wonderful Clivias with us, we love you all
and want you to come on over in 2008 to the International Clivia Conference and share in our obsession! I cant
wait to take you to all the growers, breeders and enthusiasts – Roll on 2008 !
On a final note : The skies opened up at New Plymouth on
the Sunday. It sure deluged! And of course that brought a
few problems… you see it went like this.. Keith had tried
to drive his car out of the sheep paddock, but had somehow
(don’t ask me how! Apparently they don’t teach you in PhD class
how to get out of mud) got stuck in the mud and sheep dung.
What a mess! So – volunteers were called for to assist with
the “push”. Only problem is, not all of us (inc myself) were quick
enough on our feet and able to get out of the way as Keith
planted his boot on the gas ! Poor Cesar, he had a plane to catch
In 20 mins and was top to toe in sheep shit ! OMG what
A mess! Check out a mud-splattered Tony and Cesar !
Kind regards
Di Smith - Secretary
ANNOUNCEMENT - PROJECT ‘X’ !
Right: Sunday Dinner at Bruce (spotted shirt)
& Patti’s home
The Seed Bank has been a wonderful success this year. Thanks to the many contributors of plants and
seeds. We have raised over $2000 in funds this way which has enabled us to apply the funds to a
research project. The results are now in, but the problem is – the results are so overwhelming, exciting
and fantastic that the Committee have decided not to publish in this NewZLetter but to let Dr Keith
Hammett our Chairman “write the results up” and prepare a paper for peer review and presentation. This
is your research, you donated the seeds/plants, bought the stock and assisted us generate the funds. I
wish I could tell you how exciting this all is, but the Committee have agreed to keep it “under wraps” for
another couple of months while Keith documents it all. We are extremely fortunate to have Keith on our
committee to spearhead this type of work in the name of the Club. We promise, that as soon as it is ready,
you will be the first to know. I guarantee – Clivia Breeding will be taken in a new direction !
Now… we are grateful to all contributors of seed and plants. Terry Hatch has recently donated some of his
broad leaf yellow seeds. All recent new members have received this seed to start off their collection. If
you have any spare seed or plants – would you consider donating to the Seed Bank? We can sell
them and apply the resulting funds to further research. – Many thanks
7

A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
CLIVIA SOCIETY - SOUTH AFRICA
Dear friends and members of the New Zealand
Clivia Club
Thank you for the opportunity of sharing some
Clivia Society news with you. We have been
notified that:
• Approval has been given to Kirstenbosch
Botanical Garden to coordinate the sale of
approximately 1200 Clivia mirabilis seedlings.
The cost per seedling will be R200.00, plus
postage, packaging and the cost of a
phytosanitary certificate* (if necessary), and
bank charges. Credit card facilities will be
available at an additional cost of 5%. The
closing date for orders is 31 January 2005.
Full detail has been forwarded to Di Smith but
it is also available on the website of the
National Botanical Institute Unfortunately
the authorities decided against making pollen
or seeds available.
(http://www.sanbi.org/frames/whatsnewfram.htm).
• Ms Oprah Winfrey has given permission to
have a clivia named after her in celebration of
her 50 th birthday. The initiative to honor Ms
Winfrey in this manner came from Ms Jane
Raphaely, editor-in-Chief of O, The Oprah
Magazine. We organised a competition and a
clivia of Bertie Guillaume of Brom ‘n Nel Nursury
in the Limpopo Province of South Africa was
eventually selected as the winner. The unofficial
name of the plant was Bella Donna. Oprah
Magazine South African editor, Kgomotso
Matsunyane afterwards said “ In fact, when we
chose this specific clivia, we did not know that it
was already named Bella Donna. Adding
Oprah’s name to the plant made perfect sense
for this beautiful flower and one of the most
inspirational women in the world.”. Bertie
donated a sucker of Bella Donna Oprah that will
be presented to Ms Winfrey.
Along the grapevine I heard that there is wide
interest amongst NZCC members in the 2006
Clivia Conference to be hosted by the Northern
Clivia Club in Pretoria. This is really exciting
news. We will be honoured to receive you as our
guests and look forward to putting faces to the
names of New Zealanders who have become
dear friends (off the rugby field!). The conference
is planned for 5 and 6 September 2006 and will
be complimented by several habitat tours, a clivia
auction and the various shows and exhibitions
across South Africa. The organisation of the 2004
shows resulted in the conference arangements
being slightly sidelined.
A committee meeting has been scheduled for the
last week of November. I undertake to keep you in
informed via Di Smith of the call for papers and
the invitation to register. I had a discussion with
South African Airways and can report that they
showed keen interest in offering special
international and domestic rates to conference
delegates.
‘Bella Donna Oprah’ Grown and Bred by Bertie
Guillaume
I want to make use of this opportunity to
congratulate your club on the spectacular
progress that has been made in a relatively short
time. Keep up the good work and maintain the
enthusiasm for clivia.
May you and your loved ones be blessed with a
2004 festive season. Clivia greetings and best
wishes for a blessed festive season.
Chris Vlok
(Chairperson: Clivia Society)
*Perhaps you should consider the possibility of asking friends
in South Africa to take care of mirabilis seedlings until
September 2006. The chance of fully grown plants surviving
quarantine treatment will be better.
Thanks Chris for your input into our Club, we
appreciate the fraternal relationship we have with the
Clivia Society. Long may it continue - Ed
If you wish to subscribe to the Clivia Society
and receive their quarterly newsletters and the
Year Books, contact the Administration Rep in
NZ - Di Smith (09-6346807) for more details or
check out www.cliviasociety.org
If any NZCC members wish to join those already
travelling to the Clivia Society 2006 Clivia
Conference, please email Di Smith
nzclivia@clear.net.nz for further details
8

Remember the DoC Saga ? Well, it’s all over. Here’s the latest -
Commercial Horticulture kindly printed a ‘retraction’ in their August 2004
publication. The article below has been re-reprinted with their kind permission.
Handy Hints
• Did you know ?
South Africans
achieve their
variegated
leaves by
throwing zebra
dung around the
plants and tall
scapes require
giraffe dung. If
you want to
place an order
with Akl Zoo, let
us know!
• Don’t forget – if
your clivias are
still blooming,
throw the snail
pellets around
them and put out
a container of
good Lion Red to
drown the snails.
• Ken Davey
suggests
planting Venus
Fly trap plants
around your
clivia to devour
the midges and
sandflies in the
muggy summer
• With a shortage of
bees this
summers, a Te
Puke member
who grows avos
and clivias,
suggests a fishheadhung
on a
branch, will
attract flies and
in turn pollinate
for you – he has
proved it works!
• Margaret
Matthews uses
old cut down
ventian blinds for
labels. Shape
with tin snips &
write plant
details on with
HB pencil.
Stands up to sun
and rain
• Don’t forget to
spray for Mealy
bugs.
If you have a tip for
our readers, please
email to
nzclivia@clear.net.nz
9

And On behalf of the Editorial Team…
Dear Members and Friends
As we draw to the close of another successful year we
take the time to reflect on the good things that have
happened cliva-wise this year. Some of us visited USA to
see clivia, others to China, Japan, South Africa, UK and
Australia. We appreciate the international friends we
have, especially those in South Africa, the home of Clivia.
You will have read the ‘retraction letter’ and realise how a
few words by a somewhat ill-informed DoC staff member
nearly caused the demise of the clivia species in NZ.
Special thanks to Keith for his determination to clear the
clivia’s name and put it back on the straight and narrow
and “out of the waterways”!
Special thanks to John van der Linde for his generosity
and kindness to our Club. We appreciate you John!
We are still on track to hold the International Clivia
Conference here in Auckland in 2008. Planning is already
underway. We are at present in the throws of securing a
conference facility. If you wish to contribute, present a
paper, register on the mailing list, please email the
secretary. Thanks to those overseas enthusiasts who
have already indicated they wish to attend.
We have not been able to find a spare weekend in
December to have our ‘End of Year Bash”, so tentatively it
will be in February. As per any NZCC party, surprises will
be in store for all who attend, plus a guest speaker.
The content of this NewZLetter is mainly photos. The
shows have dictated the content this quarter. Apologies
for not including any in-depth technical articles, but
unfortunately we have run out of room. We ensured there
would be enough room to include Part 2 of Roger Fisher’s
Clivia trek around South Africa. Roger is Co-ordinator of
Post-Graduate Studies, Architecture at the University of
Pretoria.
A personal thanks to the Committee for their support this
year. It sure has been a busy and productive year.
Membership is now well over 200 and climbing. Enjoy
your NewZLetter and don’t hesitate to send an article or
photo at any time.
Enjoy your Christmas, have a fantastic New Year and may
all your Clivia Dreams come true in 2005
Kind regards
Di Smith - Secretary
John van der Linde writes about ‘The Gold Medal
Plant that God Granted Me’
This is a Nakamura multitepal x multitepal grown from a batch
of seed. It is the only one to have had a green throat and
bronze colour. The % multi is high, as are the others, which
have more orthodox colouring.
I pollinated it this year with Gerrit van Wyk's plant that was also
on the CCC show - see Clivia 6 page 60. Last year I put a
variety of pollens on to it and also selfed it. Hopefully the green
throat (and with it, the bronze from the underlying green in the
inner petal layer, inherited maternally) will show up ....... in 4or
5 years time.
‘Caulescens carries its own umbrella !’
The C.caulescens seed originally came from Silverhill
Seeds, SA about 5 years ago.
The umbrella Clivia has not done the same trick again so
far, but other plants of the same species have done so,
this is third year they will flower and I will mark the ones
to see what happens in the future. Bill Dijk (Tauranga)
Below : Bill Dijk’s Trillium with Clivia Photos : Bill Dijk
10

CLIVIA CRAWL – PART 2
By Roger Fisher (Pretoria South Africa)
Roger continues ….
In order to leave Bathurst we needed to re-pack the 4x4, and with
the competition between clivia plants and whatever had been
acquired from junk shops – Marcu has a coffee and second hand
shop adjacent Albert’s prospective nursery although on the other
side is a conventional nursery from which they both rent space –
Marcu is an architect in real life but has started the venture to
keep his widower father occupied – and since it’s Marcu’s bakkie
(lorry) he has priority on space although we thought the addition
of a harrow (soil-breaking plough) a bit selfish! – the space
demands of the clivia plants had to be reduced. They were all
duly hauled out of their potting soil, washed, the bedding trunk
emptied of linen, lined with damp towels and the clivias laid down
inside. They are extremely forgiving and obliging plants. Space
problem solved, we proceeded outside of clivia country towards
the semi-desert.
Again we followed the back roads – a depressing piece of
industrial strip in the district of Port Elizabeth, Now Mandela City
although I knew the whole while that out there lurked Cape Flora
(www.capeflora.com) with whom I’d corresponded and who
possessed some rather desirable habitat specimens. Next time.
But the road turned back under the highway seaward and we
were on the old Van Stadens Pass road. It had been closed for
some while after flooding but was now once more in a state of
good repair. In the inauspicious town of Hankey we climbed the
steep tracks to the grave of Saartjie Baardman, that unfortunate
Khoi woman of enormous butt and pendulous labia which
characterized the womenfolk of her people who had been
shipped off first to London then to Paris as exhibit ‘A’ in a freak
show. She succumbed to the atrocious European weather at a
tender age and was taken apart in the interest of science and her
bits and pieces pickled. These lay around in the Museum of Man
in Paris until South African authorities made representation for
their return. These now lie buried on a magnificent promontory
overlooking the valley where she originated. The grave, I report
with regret, is nothing special – a rather mundane affair behind
ghastly iron-paling fencing. Pity.
Above : Sanderwick Interspecific
Below : Tulbachial Polipetal
Photos : Roger Fisher
Anyway we were on the edge of our next adventure, the trip through the Baviaaskloof (Baboon Valley), a
newly proclaimed piece of World Heritage Site – a magnificent drive through rugged indigenous forest, scrub
and fynbos (Cape heather). There be cycads. I’m no fan of these plants but still marvel at the tenacity of them
in still being around after the millennia of their evolution. And how splendid they look in their natural habitat.
In the drive through the valley one crosses the Baviaans River again and again through drift after drift. And
when we emerged on the other side towards dusk we wended our way to the farm off the beaten track where
we were booked for the night at the Baviaans Cedar Guest House of Jeanne and Linden Booth
(www.baviaan.co.za), a typical high-ceilinged boxed corrugated iron roofed farmhouse impeccably furnished
with stylish contemporary pieces in minimalist fashion by these two thirtyish young Capetonians. They had
abandoned city life to realize a dream.
The kitchen is of the huge farmhouse-style type with wood-stove and large table. We baked a stuffed cabbage
in the wood oven and barbecued our lamb-chops outside and had a glorious meal in the warmth of the kitchen.
Morning brought the landlord into the picture and after some exploratory discussion I mentioned the struggling
clivias beneath the loquat tree and suggested they be moved. As fate would have it he had consulted for the
clivia society - I think represented by James Abel - he being a lawyer for some or other NGO. How small the
world, even in these vast open spaces. We gave some architectural advice as to how the old stone barn might
be turned into a home for the couple, and, duty done, left the valley.
11

The last part of the crawl was out of the Baviaanskloof and along the dirt backroads of the Little Karoo. This is
not Clivia country unless you spot the odd half-barrel-grown stoop variety – which we did not. We did however
put in a stop at the Barrydale Hotel to visit friends. Jo – who has potted up seedlings at various stages of growth
before his move there from Pretoria, was away and all that we had to ponder was the white mealy bug that had
infested many of his plants. Barrydale is the brandy distilling backwater of the Cape. If you know Gwen Fagan’s
book Old roses at the Cape you’ll also know that here the yards and hedgerows hide such treasures. The place
has now become a fashionable weekend retreat for the young executives of Cape Town - read “Marcu” who has
acquired a patch of vineyard and some garages with attached flatlet in the centre of town. We of course needed
also to ponder his proposed alterations and upgrades.
We drove off to the reserve Grootvadersbosch [Grandfather’s Forest), another residue of once widespread
indigenous forests which had been run by the Department of Forestry but b now a National Park. Most exotics
have been cleared but a grove of magnificent redwoods – residue of an experiment – have been left standing.
Again I wondered why no clivias? I must admit to also having a wicked desire to sew these places with clivia
seeds. I’m sure they’d thrive!
By now ‘home’ was only two hours away and our chauffeur was chomping at the metaphorical bit to get there
and be reunited with his dogs. But there remained one port of call – Tulbach, somewhat off our direct route
homeward. Albert had recently been there and bought young clivia plants – two or three years old, broad leafed
in good rank with good basal architecture. The blooms however remained a mystery. We needed to see if there
were more such plants. Another reason to travel there was to see whether Francois and Jo had invested wisely
in a piece of land nearby.
But yet another diversion. A fascinating succulent nursery near Robertson with a liquorice all-sorts of aged
plants of enormous dimension – not my style of plant but no need not to be admiring – and if truth be told I did
buy a Strelizia junkeii which at my indigenous nurseries back on the Highveld fetch a price three or four times
the asking price there. Albert bought a magnificent specimen of a Brunsvigia with enormous leaves about 300
millimeters across and attractive red speckling below. We imagined if that were possible with clivias …
On finally reaching Tulbach we ventured into town to buy provient for a proposed picnic on our friends’ estate.
Tulbach is one of the older Cape Dutch styled towns, devastated by an earthquake in the seventies but pristinly
restored by the Fagans and now one of the jewels on the tourist wine trail. But first to find the nursery. We made
a number of futile forays into distant corners of the town trying to navigate on Albert’s recall. Eventually he did
admit that he had arrived by a route in the opposite direction and in a rainstorm the previous time and hence did
not have a clear memory of its location! Ask the tourist information centre. Not so hard to find once you know
where it is. We were now running late for our appointment but the call of the clivia was overriding. The Tulbach
Forestry Nursery is immense. And there is no apparent order in where plants are located – in batches where
they find themselves put. There is a row of magnificently established clivia mother plants in barrels alongside
the irrigation furrow. Although they were worthy of scrutiny we were now pressed for time and rabbited through
the ranks of plants seeking out promising looking specimens. These were grabbed, dumped by the roadside as
we switched files, still in pursuit of that illusive best specimen. Then the overhead sprayers went on. Nonplussed
we persisted until we looked like drowned rats. Satisfied that we had exhausted the possibilities in the time
allotted we shook the plants from there bags and abandoned these and their potting soil where it lay and rushed
back to the sales office clutching clivias by the leaves as if they were bagged hares newly shot. What the
salesperson made of all this I’m not sure but he kept his composure and asked the size of the packets they’d
been taken from. This would have floored me but Albert, familiar with the lingo of the nursery trade, replied
without hesitation – and I presume with fair honesty. We were invoiced, paid and left.
Marcu said he’d met an old client while we were away who had told him that there was a farm-shed full of old
furniture just off the road we’d come along. The plot became clear. They had bribed the plant minders to switch
on the overhead irrigation in order to hasten our retreat.
Just down the road, as predicted, was the farm-shed. And there was Francois waiting for us. No furniture store
but their newly acquired piece of land. It had all been a ruse.
But I’m still not sure about the sprinkling.
Although we had ended our trip there remained one more port of call before leaving Gordon’s Bay for Pretoria.
Albert and I had visited Ammie Grobler some weeks before since he had received a consignment of Chinese
clivias of which we had both bought some – Monks, Light of Buddhas and Darumas. I still have ambivalent
feelings about these plants. While they fascinate me they do not satisfy the baroque instincts that lie behind my
protestant upbringing – a need for lavish theatricality. They lurk darkly in corners and grudgingly pop fairly
unspectacular flowers from time to time. Or at any rate that is my – granted prejudiced – perception. However,
prior to my leaving on vacation I’d been to see Ammie – he now taken to bed having been diagnosed with
terminal stomach cancer. He had suggested I visit his business partner, André van Ryn, who had recently
retired to Betties Bay, just an hour up the coast east of Gordon’s Bay. I phoned and made an appointment.
12

André was busy with the final fitting out of his newly built retirement home. He was waiting for the kitchen
installation. But he was more than generous with his time. He has built a solid cliviatorium to protect the plants
from the winds that are persistent in the towns along this stretch of the coast.
His is the collection of a connoisseur – from little Chinese Sparrows
to an immense taller-than-a-meter habitat caulescens. He, with
Ammie, had set up an importation business of Chinese plants. His
tales can regale one for days on end, all told in conspiratorial style
– which heightens ones sense of being given access to privileged
information – like the Chinese only use well rotted horse manure –
he opened his built-in composting bins and let us nose the sweet
smell of well-rotted horse dung; keep your plants directly northsouth
orientated so as to grow symmetrically ranked leaves, if they
look like they’re deviating off axis turn the plant through onehundred-and-eighty-degrees;
peg back unruly leaves to one of the
more disciplined with a playing card and clothes peg; Giddy Yellow
– I can’t recall the story but apparently the old dear did not make
the plant locally available except to one persistent friend who would
not leave without a plant which became the source of all the locally
available Giddy yellows (I recall reading the story in one of the
newsletters); how to breed with Chubb’s Peach – always take a
yellow to the mother plant. All-in-all a giddying amount of
information in a short space of time. We noticed two battered
variegated plants and he explained that some local ‘help’ he had
employed when planting out his recently moved plants must have
somehow noticed his particular concern for these plants and
spirited them away and hidden them in nearby scrub, probably
intending to retrieve them at some later date and flog them to an
unsuspecting gardener. One of his builders had chanced upon
them there and returned the plants, now somewhat worse for wear.
His kitchen installers arrived and we left – but not without a gift of a
Chubb’s Peach seedling and four seeds from his crossing of his
broadest leaf Chinese with a bronze multipetal for each of us. I
have noticed this as a characteristic of clivia growers – they take
pride in sharing of their best in a spirit of generosity. Would that
that were the way of the world.
All that remained of the clivia crawl was to get my acquisitions home. Plants were packed into long boxes
suppled by Albert, taped and labelled “Fragile”. They were loaded into the hold of the plane and except for the
odd cracked leaf arrived back none the worse for their being marched around the country.
Postscript
The Windmill Monster produced an umbel which, as the first flower opened, seemed disappointingly small for
such a large plant and a rather insignificant bi-color yellow and mid-orange but as the full umbel bloomed it had
a pleasing orchid-like effect with a strong azalea perfume.
The Standerwick recklessly-bred inter-specifics have also bloomed. The Broad leaf has darkened from the
yellow-green achloritic state to a lime-green but still much paler than the miniata. Its umbel unfortunately formed
amongst the leaf bases. It is a strong bi-colour with water-stain marking, similar to another of the crop.
The first of the “Tulbachias” has bloomed. The flowers are large – about 70 mm across, in the mid bronze-burnt
orange range with yellow-white throats clearly delineated about two thirds of the way down, 30 mm petals, 20
mm sepals and a distinct azalea with a peppery background of nasturtium perfume. It is pushed a second umbel
straight from its centre. Needless to add it is kept oriented directly north-south! It is a young plant and I’m sure
as it matures it can only improve these qualities.
André van Ryn came up for the Northern Clivia Club Show and (with Steve Moodie) in a spirit of camaraderie
and generosity selected and prepared Ammie’s plants for the show. As befits the rivalry of friends they were
both awarded nine medals. In one of the categories, Ammies silver Chinese was snuggled between André’s
bronze and gold. Ammie won a tenth with a bronze for best on show. And both André and Steve manned a stall
to sell Ammie’s plants.
Ammie (Abraham) Grobler died on Sunday 13 September 2004 at 18:30 pm.
Above : Varnobilis
Below : Windmill Monster
Photos : Roger Fisher
13

LETTERS to the EDITOR ..
Many thanks – both for the professional way in which
the info is published and for the NZletter itself. It’s
brimful of interesting stuff. Well done. Roger Fisher
Pretoria RSA
What a great NewZLetter!! 16 pages of extremely
interesting and informative cliviastuff (yes, that’s a
word). Well done to all. I have to go and check my "Book
of Words” so that I can enter the naming competition.
Ken Smith NSW Australia
Thanks for the NewZLetter. It shows that your club is
definitely an active group. Interesting article on seed
germination. There's so many different views on sowing
seeds. I've found that seaweed extract speeds up
germination and growth due to it's growth hormones,
auxins and gibberilins. So it's not surprising that
products such as Superthrive have such good results. I
sow my seeds in punnets using a propagation mix of
45% coarse washed sand, 45% perlite and 10% premium
potting mix/coconut fibre on heat pads or under lights in
45 litre plastic containers, soaking the punnets
initially in a weak sulphur mix. Mike Bertram Australia
Thanks Mike for sharing your experiences on seed
germination. We intend to continue and publish an update
from Antoinette next year. If any reader has an ingenious
and successful way of germinating seeds, please email :
The Editor nzclivia@clear.net.nz – Thanks Editorial Team
(PS. Our secretary was speaking to someone at one of the
shows who was using a wool mat for germination, but
unfortunately she has forgotten who it was Would that
person please contact her, she would like photos and an
article – thx)
BITS & BOBS..
• The ‘Name the Clivia Competition’ has closed. Thanks to all
who entered. The Committee ran out of time at the last
meeting and so have not chosen a suitable name. The
selection will be made at the first meeting in the new year.
• The ‘NZCC Logo Competition’ is in the same boat. Thanks to
all who entered. We were thrilled with the response. We will be
working with one entrant in the new year to modify their design
and will notify you all then and hopefully use on the
NewZLetter in March 2005!
• A further order of Year Books (Clivia Society), for all years,
and ‘Hints on Growing Clivia’ are on their way here now from
South Africa. If you wish to order, please contact Di
(nzclivia@clear.net.nz 09-6346807)
• ‘Clivia’ by Harold Koopowitz – further copies have landed and
are for sale at $80 plus p&p. This book is a must for all clivia
enthusiasts
• ‘Appreciation of Clivia’ and ‘Changchun Clivia’ (a new
Chinese clivia book ) have been ordered will be available in a
couple of weeks. The last order of ‘Appreciation’ sold out in a
few weeks.
A Delightful Stalwart of our Club,
Mary Colquhoun, sent the following
poem to share :
Oh! Why aint I blessed wiv green
fingers
Why aint me plants strong an’ tall
How come all me neighbours reap
fruits from their labours
While I never reaps bugger-all ?
Me beetroots is pale an’ anaemic
Me leeks grow no thicker than
threads
Me cukes an’ tomahters is chronic
non-starters
Cos me seeds never raise from their
beds.
Me parsnips is parst orl redemption
Me peaches an peas never crops
Me broad beans an’ marrers aint fit
for the sparrers
An’ Im buying’ me spuds up the shops.
Ive giv’ em orl kinds of pertection
Ive treat ‘em like fammerly pets
Yet me bushes an’ trees is beset wiv
diseases
Wot nobody else never gets.
I works an’ I waits an’ I worries
I never ‘as time ter relax
Me fingers is bleedin’ from forkin’ an’
weedin’
While uvvers lie flat on their backs.
Me knuckles is covered in plasters
Me neck ‘as a permanent crick
Me muscles is achin’ from hoein’ and
rakin’ An’ me back ain’t ‘arf givin’
me stick.
Ive read every book in the libr’y
Consulted the experts by post
Ive tried orl the capers described in
the papers
An’ killed orf more plant life than
most.
But Ive never been known as a quitter
An’ one day Im gonna perfect
By intensive research at the local pub
perch
A garden that thrives on neglect
By Anon.
A slab of beer is on the way Mary ! – save you
going to the pub - Ed
14

And Finally… A few members have had problems with ‘Nasties”
See what you think ? Can you help with an ID ? Do you have Leaf an opinion problem ? Write to us your thoughts and
experience.
Contact the club
Memb subs due
Photo 1 – from a member in the lower NI. He asks – what is
causing the sick leaves ? Photo : Di Smith
We sent Rex Williams (Tauranga) a copy of Photo 1- he replies as follows :
Photo 2 – Rob wants to know – can you tell me
what is wrong with my ugly leaves ?
Photo: Di Smith
Perhaps you could have taken a more informative photo. It's difficult to assess problems of this nature without seeing them
first hand along with cultivation conditions etc.
This is definitely not a fertiliser/mineral symptom. Excess salts from over fertilising build up in the tips of the leaves & cause
dieback, this is the response of any plant,Clivia, orchid or tomato. Magnesium deficiency shows up as chlorosis between the
veins of older leaves, this is also well documented. Definitely not virus which it could be confused with if it were not for the fact
that virus will not produce a patterning in the shape of an emerging leaf tip on the adjoining leaf & will continue to grow on
older infected leaves,. where these symptoms are largely produced on the emerging leaves & discontinue once leaves have
hardened. Rust ?! No! Rust produces distinct pustules randomly over the leaf surface, again not the patterning seen here nor
on the emerging leaves but rather the older hardened leaves. Sunburn & rot, definitely not! we all know what sunburn looks
like & the owners of these plants are experienced growers well aware of clivias cultural requirements. I am surprised no one
suggested chemical burn (from sprays,particularly EC's) I purchased a plant from a well known grower 2 years ago with the
same symptoms and passed it off as chemical burn thinking it would grow out of it in time, it didn't. Last year I bought a similar
plant from a different grower with the same symptoms, maybe a genetic predisposition to exhibit such patterns? Didn't think
too much more about it apart from being frustrated at my lack of ability to grow a more presentable plant. This year I
purchased more plants from a grower whose plants showed wide spread symptoms & was asked my opinion, he thought it
may be a fertiliser problem. On arrival home I inspected an infected plant very closely & noticed live mites in the center of the
plant.
I re-examined the 2 afore mentioned plants & also detected mites, these were not 2 spotted mites but near half the size
making them very difficult to detect without the aid of a magnifying glass. My theory is thus; These particular mites are unable
to feed on older 'hardened' leaves & are often unable to get between 'soft' emerging leaves. The leaf tip pattern is produced
when the plant has a 'growth spurt' pushing the older of 2 emerging leaves ahead of the younger leaf, thereby exposing soft
leaf tissue to feed on, at some point the emerging leaves separate and may expose a larger area of soft tissue to feed on
causing the 'clouded' effect also seen. Sometimes this damage is severe enough to produce callusing also occasionally seen.
I have started a spray program using Pentac & Kelthane, both toxic & not available in Garden centres. Mavrik flo is readily
available and is effective though only a 'contact' spray requiring thorough coverage and repeated applications. Time will tell if
I'm on the right track & preliminary results are encouraging.
It is interesting to note that these symptoms are wide spread and while it is easy to blame fertiliser I and many other growers
have used and continue to use slow release fertilisers with great success without problems. I think the unusual weather
patterns this year may have encouraged a population explosion of mites?
Regards Rex Williams, Tauranga
(oops Sorry Rex for the naff photo, I’m hoping Santa might drop me off a new digicam with all the fancy buttons ! – Di)
Photo 2 – Can you identify the black marks ? Please write to nzclivia@clear.net.nz with your response. If
you have ‘nasties’ you want ID’d please send a photo and a short description of the problem.
15

Quote of the Month
“ Life is all about intentions” –
did you intend to become a
Clivia addict?”
Please Note :
All articles are the property of the New Zealand
Clivia Club Inc and are not to be disseminated,
copied or re-printed without the permission of
the Editor – thank you.
How to Contact the NZ Clivia Club :
Email : nzclivia@clear.net.nz
Website : www.nzclivia.org.nz
Secretary : 09-6346807 0212319200
• Check out the new American Clivia Society
www.americancliviasociety.org for chat and
information on clivia in the US.
• Sweet Pea Show 28 Nov 10am AHC 990
Great North Road Free Entry
Plants not available till
after 1 December 2004
due to constraints of
selling at ‘Ellerslie’
Please note : this
special offer expires on
31 December 2004
Subscriptions for the
2005 Year now due
(NB. NZ members only)
♦ Yes its that time of the year again. Subscriptions are now
due for the 2005 year. The subs have remained unchanged
and are only $15.00 per year (January to December 2005).
If you joined recently, 2005 membership will have been
included in your subscription payment.
♦ You will receive 4 NewZLetters per year, various Updates (if
you have email facilities), information on “things Clivia” and
of course notifications of Meetings, lectures, shows etc.
♦ Post your cheque, made payable to “NZ Clivia Club” to :
The Secretary
NZ Clivia Club Inc
71 Taylor Road
Mangere Bridge Auckland
Or : Direct Deposit to the Club’s bank account
New Zealand Clivia Club Inc
Bank : ASB Bank
Branch : St Heliers
Account No : 123027-0445425-00
♦ Reminder notices will be sent out to all unpaid members in
January 2005.
♦ A Note from the Secretary : If you have changed your
details – ie email address, phone numbers, physical
address, please would you contact her so the Club’s
records can be amended - thanks
SUPER SPECIAL !! 50% off
Selected Clivia Hybrids
Keith Hammett – well known connoisseur Clivia Breeder from Auckland, is
offering to NewZLetter readers only, a special offer from his breeding
programme of superb clivia plants.
1. HYBRIDIZED ORANGE CLIVIA MINIATA – Broader
Leaf, Chunkier Flowers, Bright stunning orange colour. Ideal for
landscape situations. Brighten up your garden with the striking
colour of these beautiful hybrids mass planted. 6 leaves, ready to
plant out. 7cm pots Were $15 NOW ONLY $7.50 each
2. CLIVIA CAULESCENS – lovely pendulous flowers (see photo)
7cm pots Were $15 NOW ONLY $7.50 each
3. SUPER SIZE ORANGE – Large flowers, perfect for
landscaping. 7cm pots Were $15 NOW ONLY $7.50 each
4. MULTIPETAL – 8+ Tepals, 6 leaves beautiful blooms, great buy
7cm pots Were $15 NOW ONLY $7.50 each
How to Order : Email your order to khammett@clear.net.nz or
Fax 09 8335490 or Phone Cindy 09 8339453
All Orders will incur p&p costs.
16