Here’s how to use Calla Lilies to enhance your home and garden. Calla lilies are elegant plants known for their trumpet-shaped flowers and lush, arrowhead-like leaves. Use them indoors and out for a tropical flair. To grow calla lilies successfully, choose a sunny or partly shaded location with well-draining soil. These plants prefer soil that is rich in organic matter, so consider adding compost or well-rotted manure to the planting area. Plant the rhizomes about 4 inches deep and space them around 12 inches apart to allow them room for growth.
What Calla Lilies Are And Are Not
Calla lilies are not true lilies and belong to the genus Zantedeschia, and the species you will most likely encounter are aethiopica (tender perennials, you may use these indoors), rehmannii or elliottiana which are hardy perennials. Native to southern Africa, calla lilies are considered tender perennials in USDA zones 8 to 10. However, they can be grown as annuals or in containers, even as houseplants, throughout the rest of the country. Planted in spring, the graceful tropical flowers bloom for 6 to 12 weeks through the summer.
The calla lily is a favorite flower for weddings, borders, and colorful containers. What we call the flower is made of a spathe and a spadix, similar to a caladium or an anthurium.
The spathe looks like a flower petal, but it is actually a bract, a modified leaf. It helps attract pollinators and bring them close to the actual flowers, which are very tiny blooms located along the column-like spadix.
How We Got The Calla Lily
Like many plants we love, the calla lily is full of surprises. We know it came from South and Southern Africa, but we are not sure how it got to us in the West.
The calla lily has been with us Western gardeners for a long time. We have European paintings of them made in the 1600’s. This is a later painting, a calla lily from the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. A good likeness, do you think?
Mary Vaux Walcott (1860-19400) A Philadelpha Quaker, was a noted mountaineer, naturalist, and painter at a time when any of these activities were unusual for women.
Mary Vaux Walcott, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
While we have loved the calla lily, and have used it for a long time, we still are not sure how we got it! (My guess, and that is all it is)is this; It may have traveled along trade routes as did the agapanthus. We know the agapanthus came to us on trade routes from South Africa and we can follow its trip along the shipping lanes to the Mediterranean, it seems reasonable that the travels of the calla lily may have been something like that!
We call it calla lily but it’s not a lily. It has a lovely name, calla, which makes reference to beauty in ancient Greece where it is connected to the goddess Hera. However in South Africa the call it ‘Varkoor, ‘ which mean’s pig’s ear, which is a clever name. We breed endless cultivars of the plant in standard and dwarf sizes and we treasure it for its value as a house plant, a garden plant and a bridal bouquet but in Australia and New Zealand it’s an invasive plant they would love to be rid of!
Tropical Calla Lilies to Enhance Your Home and Garden
Calla Lily Colors
Calla lilies come in endless colors: white, yellow, burgundy, near-black, rose, pink, orange, and multicolor. They range from one to three feet tall and typically one rhizome spreads to about a foot in diameter.
How to Keep The Flowers Blooming as Long as Possible
If you remove the spent blossom and prevent it from forming a seed, your potted plant will bloom a little longer. Use a set of garden shears or scissors to clip the stem off near the base. Ensure that none of the bare stem is sticking up through the leaves, but leave a stub of stem near the base of the plant. Coincidentally, if you want to clip calla lilies for use in bouquets, this is the best way to remove the flowers while leaving a healthy plant.
Varieties of Calla Lilies to Choose From
There are many beautiful varieties of calla lilies to choose from, each with its own unique charm. Here are some popular ones:
- Zantedeschia aethiopica: The classic white calla lily, known for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers2.
- Zantedeschia rehmannii: This variety features stunning orange flowers, adding a vibrant touch to any garden1.
- Zantedeschia elliottiana: Known for its lovely pink blooms, this variety is a favorite among gardeners.
- Zantedeschia jucunda: This calla lily boasts elegant purple flowers, perfect for adding a pop of color.
- Crystal Clear Calla Lily: A white variety with a unique green throat, giving it a striking appearance.
- Garnet Glow Calla Lily: This variety has deep red flowers that are sure to stand out.
- Odessa Calla Lily: Features pale yellow flowers with a hint of green, creating a soft, pastel look.
- Morning Sun Calla Lily: This variety has bright yellow flowers that resemble the morning sun.
- Picasso Calla Lily: Known for its multicolored blooms, this variety adds a playful, artistic touch to your garden.
For more tropical plants you can use in house and garden read this.
Planting, Growing, and Caring for Calla Lilies
Calla lilies need consistent moisture, especially during the growing season. Water them regularly, but ensure the soil is not waterlogged, as this can cause the rhizomes to rot. During their dormancy period, which typically occurs in winter, reduce watering to prevent the soil from becoming too wet. Fertilize the plants monthly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer to encourage robust growth and blooming. If you live in a colder climate, you may need to dig up the rhizomes before the first frost and store them in a cool, dry place until spring. With the right care, calla lilies will reward you with their striking blooms season after season.
Planting Calla Lilies:
- Location: Pick a spot with full sun or partial shade. Calla lilies love well-draining soil rich in organic matter.
- Planting Depth: Plant the rhizomes (bulb like roots) about 4 inches deep and 12 inches apart. Make sure the growing points face upwards.
What’s A Rhizome?
A rhizome is a horizontal underground stem, it will put out both roots and shoots along the stem. It is not a true bulb, but you will find it listed in the bulb category. The photo shows ginger root a rhizome we use in the kitchen.
Growing Calla Lilies:
- Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the growing season. Be careful not to let the soil get soggy. Depending on your environment, you may be watering once per week. Potted Calla lilies will require more water than those in the ground.
- Fertilizing: Fertilize calla lilies during the growing season, (defined as when the plant is breaking the ground and until the flowers fade). You can stop fertilizing once the blooms have faded and allow the plant to rest. What to use? Choose a balanced fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) is ideal. You can use a fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10.
- Temperature: Calla lilies prefer temperatures between 60-80 degrees F. (16-27) degrees centigrade. and they can tolerate temperatures as low as 55 degrees F. (13 degrees C) when dormant. Avoid temperature fluctuations and keep your calla lily away from drafts, direct sunlight, and sudden temperature changes.
- Use heaters, fans, or shade cloth as needed. Heaters can help on chilly nights, fans circulate air, and shade cloth protects from the midday sun.
- Provide humidity, Calla lilies prefer humid and moist conditions. You can place a humidifier nearby, group your calla lily with other plants, or use a pebble tray.
What to Do When Your Season Is Over
Do the following when the plant goes dormant to preserve your bulbs for a new season.
- Dormancy: From the end of August, use less water and stop fertilizing.
- Dig up tubers: In early October, dig up the tubers from the ground.
- Cut back plant parts: Cut back all above-ground plant parts to about 2″ (5 cm).
- Dry tubers: Allow tubers to dry for 2–3 days.
- Store in a box: Overwinter in a box with dry sand or straw.
- Store in a cool, dark place: Store in a frost-free, dark and dry place with a temperature below 15 °C.
- Check tubers: Check tubers occasionally to ensure they don’t get too dry or start to rot from too much moisture.
- Replant in spring.
- If you have a calla lily in a container, you can bring it indoors and keep it dry and frost-free. You can also prune calla lilies when they are entering their dormant phase.
Are Calla Lilies Good Indoors?
Grow your Calla Lilies indoors, very much as you grow them in the garden. Also water them and fertilize monthly; keep them in a sunny window. By doing this you will have blooms from spring through fall! They should die back in winter. When this happens, stop the water and store the pots in a cool location until the following spring. You can repot your calla lilies in springtime, and start up again in growing season.
How to Plant Calla Lily From Tubers
It is always more economical to plant from bulbs, corms or tubers. See below for when, where and how to do it with Calla Lilies.
- When to plant: Plant calla lily tubers in the spring after the last frost or when the soil is at least 65°F. In colder climates, you can start them indoors and transplant them outside after the danger of frost has passed.
- Where to plant: Calla lilies grow best in warm, moist soil in full sun or partial shade. You can plant them in containers or in the ground. If planting in containers, use a well-draining potting mix.
- How to plant: Dig a hole that’s about 3–4 inches deep and place the bulb in so that the growing tips, also known as “eyes”, are facing up. Cover with soil and water well. Space bulbs about 6 inches apart in the ground, or 4 inches apart in containers.
Companion Plants for Calla Lilies
Calla lilies can be paired with other perennials that like similar conditions, and which enhance their straight lines and showy shapes. Consider these ideas to enhance your Calla Lilies in the garden.
- Astilbe: The feathery plumes of astilbe flowers contrast with the sleek blooms of calla lilies.
- Ornamental grasses: The swaying habit of ornamental grasses will add a sense of movement to your plantings.
- Heuchera: (Coral Bells) The colorful foliage of heucheras complements their bold shapes.
- Try white Calla Lilies with black-eyed Susans or any tall flowers, and red ones with daisies.
Here are some good annuals to plant with your Calla Lilies:
- Petunias: A good companion for annual calla lilies in a container.
- Calibrachoa: A good complement to tall calla lilies in containers.
- Geraniums: A good companion for calla lily bulbs in containers.
- Impatiens: Use Sunpatiens in brighter edges of your planters or Impatiens walleriana in the shade.
- Lantana: A good companion for calla lily bulbs in containers.
How to Use Calla Lily in Your Garden
Planting Site: Calla Lilies are well-suited for beds and borders, cutting gardens, pots, planters, and containers. They can also be grown indoors and make great houseplants.
- Use them in beds and borders as you would other bulb or perennial plants.
- Plant them in drifts along your walkways. An alternative is to plant drifts of them in long narrow planters.
- They are great container plants, mix them with some of the plants above.
- Plant them in your cutting garden.
- Start some bulbs for holiday decorations.
- Use Calla Lilies in bouqets of all kinds. They’re not just for weddings.
- Use them as house plants.
Summary,
Calla Lily ‘Galaxy’ from Wikimedia Commons Collection
Calla lilies are stunning plants that come in a variety of colors and forms, making them a versatile addition to any garden or home. Some popular varieties include Zantedeschia aethiopica, known for its classic white blooms; Zantedeschia rehmannii, which showcases vibrant orange flowers; and Zantedeschia elliottiana, with its beautiful pink blooms. Other notable varieties are Zantedeschia jucunda with elegant purple flowers and the striking Picasso Calla Lily with its multicolored petals. Each variety offers its own unique charm, providing ample options to suit different aesthetic preferences and garden themes.
Growing calla lilies indoors or outdoors requires some attention to their specific needs. To get the best performance give them well draining soil rich in organic matter.
Again, the calla lily plants prefer locations with full sun to partial shade. For growth indoors make sure tha they get bright, indirect light with humidity around them.
During their dormant period in winter, reduce watering to prevent rot. Regular fertilization with a balanced, water soluble fertilizer will promote healthy growth and more blooms. With the right care, calla lilies can become a breathtaking centerpiece, whether displayed in pots inside your home or as part of your garden landscape.
Happy digging to you!