What is a Group 2 Yellow Clivia? And, see our latest Green Flowered Clivia.

This is one of our green Clivias in flower earlier this month.  

It is bred from a Group 2 yellow/green Clivia called Hirao.  

When we say Group 2 Yellow, what do we mean?

There are at least two, probably more, groups of compatible yellow flowering Clivias.  The ones we know about are referred to as Group 1 & 2.

Most of the Clivia miniatas that are grown around the world are Group 1 yellows.  When we cross a Group 1 yellow Clivia with another Group 1 yellow Clivia the resulting plants are yellow.

The Clivias that we call Group 2 yellow Clivias may have similar or identical yellow flowers, but when we cross them with a Group 1 yellow Clivia the resulting plants flower orange, but when we cross them with another Group 2 yellow Clivia the resulting plants will flower yellow.

The reason is that for Clivia to flower yellow, they must have genes that inhibit the production of orange pigment (an anthocyanin).  Because the gene that does this is recessive, they actually need a matching pair of genetic information - one from  each parent and this information must be stored in the identical location in the plants chromosomes (since chromosomes come in pairs). 

So, for Group 1 Yellow Clivias this information is stored in one particular location on the chromosome, and for Group 2 Yellow Clivias this information is stored in a different location.  

Why are Group 2 Yellow Clivias sought after?

The flowers from both groups of yellow flowering Clivias can be equally lovely and both can be vigorous, attractive plants.

Less work has been done on breeding Group 2 yellow Clivias so their potential to breed different, exciting crosses is less well explored and the plants themselves tend to be fewer in number.  Some crosses that have been done have produced either Green or near white flowers, so breeders sometimes seek out Group 2 yellows to trial new crosses and see if they can produce something special.