Calla Lily: A Classy, Colorful Flower for the Home and Garden

Calla lilies are unique looking flowers that add color and interest to the garden and home. They are commonly used in bridal bouquets and funeral displays, but they can grown by gardeners as well.

The flowers look somewhat like lilies but are not related. The blooms resemble a piece of paper rolled into a loose funnel. The true flower is the central spike, called a spadix.

The plants grow stems one to three feet tall, and the blooms appear at the tips in bright shades of white, green, pink, orange, yellow, black, and purple. The leaves are large and sometimes spotted.

The plants or tubers can be purchased from garden centers, nurseries, and florists. The blooming plants are often given as gifts. Many varieties of calla lilies are sold though mail order nurseries.

Callas grow best in evenly moist soil.

Plant the rhizomes a couple of inches deep in spring after any danger of frost has passed. Calla lilies need 18 inch spacing. It is best to enrich the soil first with compost. The soil should be sandy or loose with good drainage. Mulch around the growing plants to keep the soil cool and moist. Callas need both good drainage and evenly moist soil. Soil that stays soggy causes disease and rot.

Calla lilies have few diseases or pests. They benefit from monthly feedings with a balanced liquid fertilizer when actively growing.

Callas grow best in partial shade though full sun is acceptable in cooler regions. They can be grown as garden perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10, down to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. In colder areas where the ground freezes, the calla rhizomes have to be dug up in the fall and stored indoors through the winter months.

The calla lily roots should be dug up after the first frost kills the foliage, cleaned, dried, and then put in a cool dark space. The tubers can be divided before storage as long as the cut ends are allowed to dry to avoid rotting. Store them in a container with peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite to prevent them from withering.

Potted plants can be brought inside for the winter.

An alternative to storage is to grow calla lilies in pots so that the plant can be brought indoors through the winter.

Callas are native to southern Africa and in some areas are considered a weed. The scientific name is Zantedeschia. The Zantedeschia genus contains oxalic acid and is very poisonous, capable of killing pets and children if eaten.