In the shade of the camphor laurels on the northern edge of the Sensory Gardens of the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden is a hybrid of a magnificent South African plant with British aristocratic connections.
The beautiful Clivia miniata (Natal lily, bush lily) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clivia of the family Amaryllidaceae, native to damp woodland habitats in South Africa (Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces) as well as in Swaziland.
There are six species of Clivia and they are all native to southern Africa. There are also many cultivars.
The first Clivia was discovered by English naturalist William J.Burchell in South Africa in 1813. John Lindley of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew named it Clivia noblis (noblis meaning of noble birth) after Lady Charlotte Clive, Duchess of Northumberland (1787 – 1866). Lady Charlotte was the first to cultivate and flower Clivia in England.
Lady Charlotte was also governess to the future Queen Victoria of Great Britain and the granddaughter of Major-General Robert Clive (1725 –1774), better known as Clive of India. Robert Clive was the British officer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal. He is credited with securing India, and the wealth that followed, for the British crown.
In 2001 a new species of Clivia was discovered by conservation officer Johannes Afrika. It was named Clivia mirabilis (mirabilis meaning astonishing, to be wondered at).
The popular Clivia miniata hybrid (miniata meaning the colour of red lead) brightens the Sensory Gardens in late winter and early spring with clusters of vibrant yellow throated, orange trumpet flowers. The flowers are held on stalks above the clump of dark green strap-like leaves.
Clivia miniata is very popular in Australia due to its stoic determination to look magnificent in that most difficult position – dry shade.
By Ian McAlister & Karen Hagan