Strange Behavior In Clivia Plants – How Can This Happen?

Question

Hi.
I salvaged 3 bright orange clivia plants from the dumpster at a local foodstore. They were thrown out because they had only 20% of their flowers left – the rest had died. My husband felt sorry for them in the freezing cold and took them home.
I just put them in a pot each and gave them water .2 in the living room and one 1 in the kitchen. After 2 months one of them started to show signs of flowers again.. and when that was almost done the second came into bloom – and so the third. In summertime i just put them outside. hardly give them any nutrients.. just water them now and then and talk to them 🙂 I have had flowers on them now 3 times in 18 months..One week ago one of them died because i had put some aluminum foil in the bottom of the pot 🙁 so sad to see it just snap right off at the bottom stem ; (The clivia next to the one who died just started to show signs of a 4th blooming 2 days ago – and to my amaze the flowers are BRIGHT WHITE!! :-O How is this possible?? It has been bright quite deep orange 3 times.. what is going on? The one that lived in the kitchen ios now moved beside the “white” that lost it’s pal.. hopefully it will good for both.. I know I sound insane but I have had several strange experiences – I always salvage or buy almost dying plants in the shop – and they always grow up to be lovely plants. So I respect their lives very much and maybe they can feel it..?? I do not know… strange but true. I would love to hear what you think about the bright white clivia. Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

This is not unusual for clivia; here is a good explanation of why the color change happens:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/clivia/clivia-color-change.htm

Here's another article about caring for clivia: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/clivia/clivia-plant.htm
You and your husband are so sweet to take in and nurture those poor orphaned plants - what a great thing to do.