Bronze Clivias: A Gallery of Earthy Elegance
Bronze clivias have long held a special place in the hearts of collectors, and in recent years they’ve become far more accessible than they were a decade ago. One of the most sought-after traits in today’s bronze breeding is the striking green throat — a feature that’s often inherited through the pod parent (mother plant). In some cases, the green pigment is so dominant that it can even pass through the pollen (father plant), a rare but exciting occurrence.
At Utopia Clivias, we’ve spent years carefully selecting and refining our bronze and green-throated plants, breeding only with the very best to advance this line. Each flowering season brings new surprises as fresh seedlings bloom for the first time — often so stunning that they earn a permanent place in our breeding collection, replacing older stock.
Some of our most notable bronze cultivars include the richly coloured "Bronze Green Boy," "Crown Prince," and "Gunston." Each of these has contributed significantly to shaping the character of our bronze collection.
One of the most meaningful additions to our collection is "Jason’s Bronze," which first flowered in September 2011. It bore a magnificent umbel of deep bronze blooms with a clear green throat — a gift from Charl Coetzee after the tragic loss of our son, Jason, in 2009. This plant remains a heartfelt tribute and an anchor in our bronze breeding legacy.
We’ve also incorporated elite Belgian Bronze lines into our programme, valued for their rapid growth and early flowering traits. These genetics help us breed bronzes that are not only beautiful but also more vigorous and reliable in performance.
A standout among our darkest varieties is "Choco Bronze" — a deep, chocolate-toned bronze bred from Belgian lines. Its rich hue is notoriously hard to photograph but unforgettable in person.
In pursuit of even more vibrant and diverse bronzes, we’ve crossed our lines with Hirao and Charl’s Green, producing intensely dark bronzes split for Group 2 green traits. From this work have emerged plants like "Moldevite" and "Ammolite," known for their bold colouration and refined shape.
1212 Bronze Series
This line is bred from F2 selections of Charl’s Green, crossed back with Coromandel Bronze. The resulting plants are compact and carry the potential for both bronze and green flowers. These represent the foundation of our 1212 Bronze breeding programme — promising plants selected for their exceptional quality and potential.
The Jungle Series – Our Next Generation
A new and exciting chapter in our bronze story, the “Jungle Series” descends from a remarkable seedling labeled 608B. These bronzes are truly striking and distinctive. We’re now beginning sibling crosses to solidify this bold new line, aiming to capture and preserve their unique colouration and form.
Introducing the Bronze Age Series
New for this year, we are proud to present the “Bronze Age” series — an exciting line bred from the legendary Tol’s Bronze. These plants carry forward the strength and depth of colour of their famous parent, while showing great promise in shape and uniformity. We’re eager to see how this exceptional lineage will perform in our ongoing breeding efforts.
