Clivia x Kewensis was raised at Kew by Charles Raffill. Kew had had a plant of Clivia citrina and had lost it, but it had set seed in the greenhouse where other Clivias grew. Raffill selected back from them until he arrived at a yellow plant with yellow seed capsules which he named C. x Kewensis 'Cream' . I obtained a plant of this in 1971 along with C. Kewensis seedlings A and B both of which were orange. From seed of my 'Cream' pollinated by A and B I had a large number of seedlings only two of which were yellow without any trace of red, and which carried yellow seed capsules. The numerous other seedlings were all orange to apricot in colour. Most of them had broad petals and good form. The two yellows have been named as C. x Kewensis 'Vico Yellow' and C. x Kewensis 'Vico Gold'. They are identical for gardening purposes and indistinguishable to me, though genetically they are different clones. Both are now grown at Clivia Breeding Plantation in Japan and are being used for breeding there. 'Vico Yellow' has been micropropagated by Miyoshi in Japan and is available commercially."

Sir Peter Smithers