Clivia mirabilis can only be found in the Oorlogskloof nature reserve in the Northern Cape province. They grow in the humus-filled cracks in the sandstone in the shade of the evergreen trees. Plants outside the shaded areas survive, but are severely marked by the sun and also considerably damaged.
In habit, the plants are similar to C. nobilis, except that the leaves are firmer and have a rounded tip. The markings along the length of the leaves are more pronounced than on C. nobilis. The leaves are between 800 and 1200 mm long, 25 to 40 mm wide and have a notch at the rounded tip.
The orange-red drooping flowers, which appear bicoloured, sit on orange-red stems. During flowering in October, 20 to 48 tubular flowers form on a purple-red stalk. The berries ripen to a bright red colour and produce one to three seeds. The ripening period is relatively short. The seeds are already ripe in March of the following year.
