Natal lily (Clivia miniata) is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family native to damp woodlands in southern Africa, where they grow in the forests of Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Swaziland. They do not occur naturally anywhere else. Their habitat ranges from subtropical coastal forests to ravines in high-altitude forests, where they thrive in dappled shade in well drained, humus-rich soil. In their native habitat, they are often found in large colonies and sometimes growing in the fork of a tree.

The world's love affair with Clivia began in the 1800s, when specimens were sent back to England from Kwazulu-Natal. The plant was named after the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Charlotte Clive, who first cultivated and flowered the specimen in England. Bush lilies grow to a height of about 18 to 24 inches with orangey/peachy, trumpet-shaped flowers that emit a faint, but very sweet, perfume. The foliage of this clump-forming perennial with its dark green, strap-shaped leaves arises from a fleshy underground stem, forming a perfect foil for its masses of beautifully colored flowers. Unfortunately, in many areas of its natural habitat, colonies of wild bush lilies have been destroyed by harvesting for traditional medicine; the plants are extremely toxic but are used medicinally for various purposes.

Bush lily makes a spectacular indoor plant due to its tolerance of low light levels and need for little to no water during the winter. Although it is one of those rare plants that actually blooms best if slightly potbound, its roots are perennial, and the plant resents root disturbance (which usually displays as a skipped flowering cycle).