Roots Bustin’ Loose

This has happened before.

The roots of Clivia miniata ‘Good Hope’ busting out of the pot.

Last time this happened I thought
I had brought in a stowaway toad.
The roots raised up in a bulge and dumped soil on the floor.

This time the roots cracked the pot to make more space.

These hefty, hairy roots will not be restrained nor contained. I appreciate a plant that knows what it needs.

Now, it has room to grow and to bloom.

‘Good Hope’ puts out several pups each year.

This bush lily is worth all the work.

Its giant cluster of butter-yellow blooms will be like sunshine in late winter.

Clivia miniata ‘Good Hope’

I also have an orange one named ‘Fire Lily.’

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My Schlumbergera collection is still in a bag. We will see how that worked next week.

Good Hope

My Clivia miniata ‘Good Hope’ has two babies and a bloom.

Clivia miniata ‘Good Hope’ fire lily

The flowers are a soothing buttery yellow.

The flower head is perched on a sturdy eighteen-inch stalk.

This plant is boring all year, but when it blooms, it steals the show.

FLOW

‘Good Hope’ is a Good Sign

I was busy with my daddy this winter.

He went in the hospital on December 19 and came out of rehab on March 12.

We were lucky to get him out just as Covid-19 closed off visiting.

He is home carrying on like the cancer is gone.

I did not look at my plants in my workshop for those three months.

I watered and pruned nothing. I did not even think to check on them.

When I finally went down there most plants were dead or almost dead.

That’s okay. I have too many plants and only one daddy.

The one plant that seemed to ignore being ignored was this Clivia.

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It is a Fire Lily named Clivia miniata.  Its hybrid name is ‘Good Hope’.

I popped it outside in the shade and it is thriving.

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As I walk by it I say its name “Good Hope”.

All hope is good. Hope is always good. That’s what we all need.

Good Hope

Flow

Good Hope

I have been watching in amazement as my Clivia ‘Good Hope’ flowers for the first time ever.

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Its butter-yellow finger-like buds finally opened into big happy blooms this week.

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I did not realize that it would get this large.

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Clivia miniata ‘Good Hope’ Fire Lily

Even its roots, which slither along the surface, are big.

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Another giant houseplant. Hooray!

Flower