Calla Lily Care

There is a good reason why calla lilies are favored by brides all over American and other western counties. The calla lily is a perfect harmony of beauty and elegance. This long stemmed flower holds within its fold a charm so pristine that no other flower can match up. With just a little bit of care, you can have them growing right in your yard.

Calla Lily

Calla lily is also known as Arum Lily, and botanically as Zantedeschia. Zantedeschia is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Araceae named in honor of Giovanni Zantedeschi, an Italian botanist. Although, know as a lily, calla is not a true lily. Native to the marshes of southern Africa, calla lily today is listed as a popular exotic flower. A highly commercially valued flower, calla lily grows to two feet with 15-45 cm long leaves that are a luscious green, sometimes streaked yellow. The flower comes in vibrant hues of orange, yellow, pink, fuchsia, red, a classic white and a near white. Very large calla lilies only grow in white, cream and green colors. Some callas are green too. The shape of the flower is like a funnel with a yellow thin spadix growing in the center. A late spring bloom, growing calla lily is an enjoyable experience.

How to Care for Calla Lilies

Calla lily in pots add an interesting dimension to home décor. Caring for potted calla lilies is very similar to taking care of calla grown outside. The only advantage indoor planting adds is that, one can prevent the plant from frost. Calla does well in full sun as well as partial shade.

Calla lily is propagated through rhizomes. They should be started indoors in spring or early summer. Plant healthy and firm rhizomes about two months before the onset of spring. Calla tubers need to be planted at a depth deeper than most tubers. Prepare soil with a high level of peat, moss or organic compost along with some bulb fertilizer. As calla grows very well in marshes, the same level of moisture retentiveness needs to be replicated. The hole should be able to be deep enough to cover the whole root ball, and in flower beds spaced at 10-12 inches apart. Keep soil well misted and in diffused lighting to sprout the tubers.

Once the rhizomes start to grow roots and shoot leaves (at least two) transplant the calla lilies tubers outside. If you plan to grow them in pots and containers, sprout tubers using the same method. Prepare the flower bed with peat, moss or organic compost. Water just enough to ensure that the tubers do not dry out. Feed it with liquid fertilizer once in a month, and forthrightly upon the appearance of flower buds. Flower variety and climatic conditions determine bloom period, within 60 to 90 days. Snip the entire stem to infuse a prolonged blooming period.

Calla lily is very susceptible to rhizome rot, bacterial soft rot, gray mold, cucumber mosaic virus, dasheen mosaic virus, erwinia bacteria, etc. Most of these diseases and viruses are treatable, provided they are exhibited through leaf and stem yellowing, or damaged flower growth. Calla lilies rhizomes are not cold hardy, hence winter protection is essential. Indoor plants can be treated to artificial lighting, calla grown outside can be pruned to the ground and mulched upon, or one can simply remove the tubers once the flowers and foliage wilt away. Store rhizomes until next spring.

Basic care will ensure a good growth and a steady supply of these flowers. Calla lilies are used in bouquets and elaborate floral arrangements. The flower is so amazingly beautiful, a single stand alone looks splendid.