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Fall 2023 Shipping Schedule: 10/11/2023
Zantedeschia aethiopica are commonly known as calla lilies and are technically not true lilies. They are native to South Africa and are members of the arum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) family. The large, stark white bloom surrounds a yellow spadix and grows atop a tall, leafless stalk that is prized in cut flower arrangements.
About this Variety
Our Calla kit comes with everything you need to grow this exotic plant: 1 large Calla aethiopica bulb, a 5x7" trendy, metallic gold, metal decorative planter, a 5" nursery pot, planting medium and growing instructions. Bulbs are essentially storage mechanisms and already contain everything needed to produce flowers.
Highlights
- Great for rain gardens and moist areas; can grow in 6-12" of water
- Showy blooms
- Grows well in containers indoors or out
- Excellent for cut flowers
- Beneficial to pollinators; attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
Exposure:
Indirect Light
Blooms:
Indoors; 60 days after planting
Height:
Grows 24-36" tall
Spacing/Depth:
Spaced evenly in container. Deep enough so that the bulb is barely below the surface, pointed side up.
USDA Zones:
Indoor forcing. Grow outdoors as Perennial in zones 8-10.
Growing Instructions
Calla aethiopica is a tender bulb and needs to be planted in pots indoors in zones 8 and above, throughout most of North America. To grow indoors as a house plant proceed as follows: Expand the soil block which comes with the kit, following the included directions, then fill about half the pot with the medium. Set the bulb atop the soil, pointed side up, filling in with soil around and above the bulb to maintain its position. Leave room in the pot for watering. Calla bulbs prefer room temperature. Exposure to sunshine will keep them shorter. As the flower stalk grows towards the light, rotate the pot frequently to prevent toppling. Sit back and enjoy! Depending on growing conditions, blooms normally appear 60 days after planting.
Care Tip
Callas grow best in bright, indirect sunlight - like a sunny window. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Since it is a bulb plant, it will need to go dormant once a year. After the plant has finished blooming, the leaves will turn yellow then brown. Once this occurs, prune the plant down to the soil and place the pot in a cool, dark, dry area where the room temperature is above freezing but no higher then 50ºF for 2-3 months. Water sparingly during this period to prevent the bulb from drying out. After this rest period, return pot to the sunny window to restart its growth cycle. Feeding it will help spur growth.
Zantedeschia aethiopica grows best outdoors in moist, marshy areas. They can be grown as a water plant.