During the rein of the last emperor (Pu Yi, the 10th ruler of Qing Dynasty), clivia was introduced to Chinese people. As time goes on, clivia became a revered symbol in China.
Unlike breeders of other countries, Chinese are more concerned with the foliage than the flowers. The Chinese clivias are noted for its short, bright, broad, rigid, thick and round tip leaves shaped like a fan.
To resolve any inconsistencies in judging a Chinese clivia, the China Clivia Association (CCA) in 1999 formulated a standard or guidelines in appraising or judging the quality of a Chinese clivia. The standards of appreciation of Chinese clivia are outlined as follows:
1. Brightness - the brighter the better;
2. Fineness - the fine the better;
3. Rigidity (bending strength of entire leaf) - the stiffer the better;
4. Thickness - the thicker the better;
5. Vein - the best veins should be rough, convex and protruding;
6. Leaf Color – the lighter the better, transparent and clear, bicolor shades are the best, with the best having a ratio of green and white;
7. Length to Width Ratio - the best ratio is about 2:1 to 3:1;
8. Stalk Shape - the best shape is symmetrical leaf base, fan shape, with no brown edges or spaces;
9. Seat Shape;
10. Head Shape - each leaf tip should be round, a pointed or sharp tip is bad.
|
Standard |
Good |
Bad |
|
Brightness |
 |
 |
|
Fineness |
 |
 |
|
Rigidity |
 |
 |
|
Thickness |
 |
 |
|
Vein |
 |
 |
|
Leaf Color |
 |
 |
|
Length to Width Ratio |
 |
 |
|
Stalk Shape |
 |
 |
|
Seat Shape |
 |
 |
|
Head Shape |
 |
 |