Native to South Africa, Zantedeschia lilies have become popular garden or household plants. Mainly grown for their magnificent, chalice-shaped flowers (spathe) surrounding a yellow finger-like stalk (spadix), and their arrow-shaped, spotted leaves, they are not true lilies, but are arum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) family members. Whether used in borders, containers or as cut flowers, they always provide a spectacular effect with their rich, cheerful colors.
Hardy arum lilies can stay outdoors all year round, but tender calla lilies must be brought indoors over winter, so you need to have somewhere frost free to keep them. Calla lilies can also be grown as houseplants.
Hardy arum lilies should perform well without additional feeding, if grown in fertile soil that is rich in organic matter.
On poorer soils, or to boost growth, you can feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every fortnight through the flowering period.
Tender calla lilies can be fed during the growing season, especially when in containers:
With hardy arum lilies growing in the ground, apply a generous mulch of organic matter, such as well-rotted garden compost, over the root zone in autumn.
This will help to hold in moisture and deter weed germination. It will also insulate the roots, protecting them from freezing over winter.
Calla lily, also known as arum lily, is not a true lily. It belongs to the genus Zantedeschia which originates from South Africa. With huge, exotic looking flower-like spathes now available in a wide range of colours, calla lily is becoming increasingly popular as a house plant as well as a garden and patio plant.
Watch out for confusion with the hardy pond plant bog arum (Calla palustris). Although the name and the white blooms may be similar, Calla palustris needs to be grown in shallow water at the edge of a pond.
Frost-free conditions are essential as calla lily hybrids are tender. Grow on a well-lit windowsill, in a conservatory or a heated greenhouse. Once all risk of frost has past, calla lilies can be grown in the garden, in pots or in a border. A bright well-lit spot out of the strongest midday sun is ideal. Avoid full shade, but plants will tolerate partial shade. Calla lily must be sheltered from wind.
Regular watering is important to maintain the handsome lush growth of calla lilies. Ideally, keep compost moist but take care not to over-water either. Once flowering shoots of calla lily appear, feed every three to four weeks with a liquid fertilizer high in potash, such as liquid tomato fertilizer. Regularly remove dead and faded flower stems and leaves.
Once flowering has finished, continue feeding and watering calla lily for several weeks, still taking care not to over-water, until the leaves start to die back. Bring potted plants indoors before the frosts and leave in the pot whilst dormant. Calla lilies growing in the ground should be dug up and the rhizomes stored in trays of just-moist compost for the winter, in a cool frost-free place. In late winter, repot the roots into moist compost and place in a warm spot to start into growth.
Click here to learn more about Calla Lilies 8. How to Propagate Calla LiliesBy cutting dormant rhizomes in spring: cut the rhizome into several sections, each with a visible bud (this applies to larger bulb-like rhizomes only). Plant these indoors into containers filled with multi-purpose compost. Water sparingly until the shoots emerge. Water regularly until well established before planting outside. You may have to wait a year or so before getting calla lily flowers (until the rhizome is big enough).By seed: collect seeds in the fall and store them over winter. Sow in spring, one seed per 7.5cm (3 in.) pot filled with seed compost. Water in, then keep at 70ÂF (21ÂC). Seedlings should emerge after a few weeks, but do not expect calla lily flowers before two or three years.9. Problems, Pests, and DiseasesZantedeschia are usually trouble-free. However, keep an eye out for slugs, aphids, spider mites, thrips, or rot.If your calla lilies do not bloom, the potential reasons include excess nitrogen in the soil, not enough moisture, too much shade, inadequate dormancy periods (should last at least 2-3 months), foliage removed too early (preventing the plant from storing enough energy), deficient calla lily rhizomes, and incorrect planting methods.
Calla lily can come back year after year if they are grown in the right conditions. However, the survival of a calla lily depends on several factors, such as soil quality, water, sunlight, and temperature. Calla lilies prefer well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. They also require regular watering, especially during the growing season. Calla lilies grow best in partial shade to full sun, and they thrive in warm temperatures. If these conditions are met, calla lily can survive the winter and come back the following year. However, in colder climates, calla lily may need to be dug up and stored indoors during the winter months to prevent frost damage.
Potted calla lily can last for several weeks to a few months if they are grown in suitable conditions such as well-draining soil, adequate sunlight, and regular watering. Cut calla lily can last for up to two weeks if they are kept in a vase with fresh water and are regularly trimmed and cared for.
Calla lily can be planted outside in the garden. They are versatile plants that can grow well in a variety of settings and can add beauty and elegance to any garden. When planting calla lily outside, it's important to choose a location that provides partial shade to full sun and has well-drained soil. Calla lily thrives in moist soil, so it's important to water them regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. It's also important to plant calla lily flowers in the right season. They can be planted in the spring or fall, depending on the climate and weather conditions in your area.
Calla lilies are perennials and can continue to produce new growth and blooms year after year under the right growing conditions. In order to thrive and continue blooming, calla lily flowers require well-drained soil, regular watering, and partial shade to full sun. They are generally hardy in USDA zones 8-10, although in colder climates, they may need to be dug up and stored indoors during the winter months to prevent frost damage.
Calla lily flowers are toxic to cats. The entire plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause irritation and swelling in the mouth, tongue, and throat when ingested. In severe cases, ingestion of calla lily can lead to difficulty breathing, kidney failure, and even death in cats.
Calla lily is an herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial grown from rhizomes. Tubular shaped flowers with pointed tips produce a long, finger-like spadix at the center. Blooms come in colors of white, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, green, or black. Tall elegant stems rise above broad solid green or speckled leaves.
Create a dramatic statement in beds, borders or containers with this black calla lily. Plant by itself as a stunning focal point. Combine with hot colors for a bold theme, or cool colors for a sophisticated look.
For containers: Calla lily can be grown in a pot as an indoor houseplant, or outdoors during warmer months. Plant by itself or in combination with other plants with similar cultural needs.
Calla lily bouquets are very popular for expressing love and appreciation on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Calla lilies are also a prevalent flower in wedding arrangements, gracing centerpieces, bridal bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres.
In the late stages of arum lily poisoning, the calcium oxalate leads to permanent liver and kidney damage. As soon as your cat begins to show signs of illness or poisoning, you should take it to the vet, especially if you realize it has come into contact with a lily. The first signs of poisoning may show up within two hours.
Once the vet has narrowed down the substance making your cat sick, they will be given the appropriate treatment. Early diagnosis is vital; if your cat receives veterinary treatment within eighteen hours of coming into contact with an arum lily, it should recover completely.
Once the vet knows what has poisoned your cat, they will prescribe and give it medications that help the cat to eliminate all parts of the lily from its system. Your cat will also be given fluids intravenously to keep it from becoming dehydrated. This may continue for up to 48 hours.
Prompt treatment is essential to recovery from arum lily poisoining. Rather than attempt to treat your cat at home to relieve its symptoms, get to the vet right away. Your cat is at risk of developing an anaphylactic reaction to the lily it ingested or came into contact with. If this happens, your cat should be under close veterinary observation.
If your cat is taken to the vet well within eighteen hours of becoming poisoned by an arum lily, it has an excellent chance of surviving its illness. Because of the risk of kidney damage, your cat will need treatment to prevent kidney failure, and the sooner this is started, the better. While even a little amount of a lily can make your cat very ill, the bitter taste of the leaves and flowers may discourage it from eating very much.
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