Clivias are eye-catching plants for indoors even when not in bloom. But, oh, the flowers

Despite its presence in homes around the world for generations, the clivia hasn’t worn out its welcome.

Clivia miniata – aka bush lily and fire lily – is an evergreen South African bulb plant with arching, straplike leaves up to 18 inches tall. From late winter to mid-spring, clivias bear spectacular clusters of orange or yellow funnel-shaped flowers.

Although ideally sited specimens can endure garden conditions in Central Florida, clivias are at their best as houseplants set in bright, indirect light. In fact, clivias blossom most reliably indoors and in somewhat undersized containers.

But clivias are eye-catching plants even when not flowering because of their dark-green, three-inch-wide leaves that grow in a fanlike pattern. A member of the Amaryllis family, clivia has leaves and bulbs that contain a mildly toxic alkaloid, so sensitive folks should wear gloves when repotting or propagating.

Speaking of propagation, it can be done by divisions or seeds. Plants begin to generate offsets when three or four years old. It’s best, though, not to divide a clump until it threatens to burst its container – which sometimes happens.

When they’re ready to divide, separate clumps into two or three sections, not individual bulbs.  Note: an interesting hybrid clivia – C. x cyrtanthiflora – bears clusters of nodding orange flowers intermittently throughout the year. Plants and seeds are available online.

For a splash of colorYou can't go wrong with the many varieties of crown of thorns

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Peanut butter plantImagine a fruit that tastes like peanut butter dipped in honey

Aftermath of drought

The extremely dry weather most of Central Florida experienced in early spring may take a lengthy toll.

Although a few plants benefited – bougainvilleas loved it, for example – most species suffered, and many non-irrigated individuals perished. And, like freeze damage, the after-effects of drought stress may persist for months, leaving some plants more vulnerable to storms and diseases.

Name that vine

I’ve often wished that someone would point to a certain flowering vine and ask if it was a Mandevilla or Dipladenia. I’d be able to chuckle and answer “yes” because they’re the same plant, though Mandevilla is the correct genus.

About 125 species of Mandevilla vines and shrubs grow throughout Tropical America, but the plants offered to gardeners are most likely hybrids with murky ancestries. These funnel-flowered vines grow in full to part-day sun on moist, well-drained sites. They are, however, prone to wilting in direct sun during particularly hot afternoons.

Mandevilla hybrids are also susceptible to low temperatures, so consider them annuals or grow them in containers that can be moved indoors during cold snaps. Propagate with warm-season cuttings.

Rat-a-tat ants

You probably know that rattlesnakes rattle to alert and scare away intruders. But did you know that two species of Southeast Asian ants behave in a similar way?

According to a report in the March 2023 issue Palms magazine, the ants – which live under the dry leaf sheaths of rattan palms – tap their bodies against the sheaths, presumably to ward off herbivorous critters that might damage their homes.