Zantedeschia: Calla Lily
Calla lilies are beautiful additions to wedding bouquets and other fresh floral arrangements. Perennial types are perfect for woodland or cottage gardens, while annual varieties add color and structure to summer containers and warm season borders.
Plant care & info
Family: Araceae (Arum Family)
Genus: Zantedeschia
Common Name: Calla Lily
6 species of rhizome-rooted plants from southern Africa comprise this genus.
Call lilies prefer consistently moist, well-drained soil. They can even adapt to growing partly submerged in water, and given adequate moisture, are able to live full time in pots. Annuals prefer full sun and perennials do well in morning sun to dappled shade. Calla lilies do not bloom their best in full shade.
Perennial types should be mulched with organic matter in winter after the foliage has died back to the ground. Prior to mulching, dead foliage can be removed as part of fall garden clean up. Rhizomes of annual types must be lifted from the garden during the fall and stored in a cool dry place over the winter. Be careful not to damage the rhizomes as they are being removed from the soil. A balanced organic liquid fertilizer can be applied throughout the bloom season for both types.
Snails, slugs, aphids, and botrytis can all affect calla lilies.
Perennial varieties of calla lilies bloom throughout spring while the annual varieties bloom throughout the summer.
Perennial calla lilies are often bright white or dark purple/black. Ferns, astilbes, hostas, ligularias and impatiens are excellent calla companions in the woodland gardens!
Annual varieties range from red, yellow, orange, pink, and purple. In containers, annual calla lilies combine well with petunias, dusty miller, allysum, creeping jenny, heliotrope or dichondra.
