Calla Lilies are frost-resistant even though they originated in South Africa. They have a bundle of nicknames, including arum lily, pig lily, and, most apt, trumpet lily. These flowers love watery areas where they can terry with the frogs and dragonflies. If you set them up correctly, the Calla lily can grow with no soil, so long as there’s plenty of sun.
Key Takeaways
- Calla Lilies are ideal as border or hillside plants.
- If you live in an area that gets plenty of rain, it’s the perfect environment for these water-loving flowers.
- The Calla Lilly is a low-maintenance plant, easily cultivated.
Contemplating the Calla Lily
If you appreciate the light aroma of flowers in the breeze, Calla lily will become a treasured part of your landscaping. They’re very fragrant. Most of the Calla Lilies you’ll encounter are white, but thanks to cultivars, you can find nearly every shade you desire to fit in with your gardening plan.
These flowers don’t take up a lot of space, growing about 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. That makes them an excellent choice for filling awkward holes in the garden. If you have an area that stays relatively wet, your plant will be thrilled. Once you put the lily bulb in the ground, you’ll be rewarded with blossoms in 2-4 months.
If you’re living in a hot zone, the Calla Lily will need partial shade because of the heat. Otherwise, direct sun is just fine (the western part of your yard). In a four-season environment, hold off on planting until there is no more danger of frost.
While beautiful, Callas are very poisonous for both pets and people. The symptoms of Calla Lily ingestion include stomach pain, diarrhea, swollen lips, and a burning sensation in the mouth, tongue, and throat.
Calla Lily Care
The best area of the country for Calla Lillies is USDA Hardiness Zone 8. Where is Zone 8. If you look at a map Zone 8 nearly makes a smile across the US. It begins in Washington, moving along the coast. It goes through Oregon, California, Utah, and Nevada. In the Southwest, it progresses to Arizona and New Mexico. It ends in the Southeast (Florida, the Carolinas). You may sometimes find them in Maryland and Virginia, but only in coastal regions. Don’t feel deterred if you’re not in these areas. You can always overwinter your plant indoors.
Calla lilies need 12 to 18 inches between them, placed 4” down in the soil. These plants grow from rhizomes, so when they mature, you can harvest buds growing off the roots and sow new plants from them. If you have watery spots in your garden, look there as a starting point. They can grow in a foot of water!
The Calla Lily is not just one flower but several series of flowers. There’s the outside petal protecting the inner flowers. The central yellow spike (spadix) is where the tiny flowers cluster.
Calla Lily Needs
As mentioned before, calla lilies need little attention. But having some knowledge can keep your plant healthy.
These flowers prefer weather around 70 degrees. If the temperature drops below 50, they go into a dormant stage. If they freeze, they will not grow afterward.
Avoid growing calla lilies in areas of your hard with clay soil. This plant needs a porous blend, such as those containing sand or sand mixed with regular potting soil. When the soil is slightly dry, water them.
If you decide to pot your outdoor callas, at the end of the season, the foliage yellows. Cut it back to soil level and bring it inside to an area that’s cool and dry, like a garage. If your callas are in the ground, just pick the rhizomes out of the soil and store them as you would the potted plants.
Tip: put up a steak or other marking so you can easily spot where you should return the rhizome. In either case, give the flower eight weeks before starting with water again.
Despite the name, the Calla Lily is not a lily at all. The name was actually a botanical blunder. Carolus Linnaeus misnamed it, and by the time another botanist (Karl Koch) discovered it, the proverbial horse was already out of the gate. Calla Lily is stuck.
Shopping for Outdoor Calla Lilies
When you’re buying calla rhizomes, think big. The larger rhizomes will produce plants with a larger flower display.
- California Red: Gorgeous dark red with undertones of orange. As the petals mature, they turn from red to rusty.
- Captain Safari: If you want bold, this is the cultivar for you. An amazing array of orange and yellow petals with a backdrop of white-speckled leaves.
- Crystal Blush: Crystal blush is a classy flower. The elegant white petals have traces of gentle pink.
- Edge of the Night: Bring a little mystery and magic to your landscape with these dark maroon flowers. The leaves are dark green, dotted white, and rimmed with the same maroon as the flowers.
- Fire Glow: Bright red petals that fade to yellow. Their dark green leaves make the flower colors really pop.
- Flamingo: Pastel, nearly salmon pink petals frame a bright yellow spathe.
- Giant Spotted Beauty: Just when you were used to the average 3-foot calla, along comes the Giant Spotted Beauty that has flowers topping 6-7 foot tall stalks. The petals are linen white, gracefully adorning 3-foot-long leaves.
- Golden Calla: Tinted mustard yellow, this calla produces large blossoms and white-speckled leaves.
- Green Goddess: The spathe of Green Goddess has pale green from the middle until you reach the tip, where it will be totally green.
- Odessa: This deep violet calla looks elegant enough for a ball. In the right light, they appear black. The leaves are pastel green with white specks.
- Picasso: Raise the curtains. The dramatic dark purple Picasso has arrived. The flowers have perfect white rims.
- Pink Mist Pink: White-patched pink flowers with a red spadix.
- Royal Valentine: The red in this plant’s flowers announces itself, just as you’d imagine from the trumpet shape. It has a long flowering period.
Calla Lilies are not the independent sort. They prefer growing in small groups. Pattern them in a circle or triangle, perhaps even of different colors. Keep the size the same for the best visual effect.
Watering Outdoor Calla Lilies
One of the most important things to remember about Calla Lilies is that their roots should never dry out completely. Every time you water them, give them a good soaking unless rain does the trick. While they prefer light soils for drainage, the soil needs to remain moist. If you have your outdoor callas in pots, they will dry up long before those in the ground.
Come the fall, when calla leaves begin to yellow, reduce watering. If you experience cold temperatures, take the rhizome indoors. Start watering it after 3 months again.
Meaning & Symbolism: It’s not surprising the ancients found callas enamoring. The name actually comes from a Greek term meaning “beautiful.” Then, as now, Calla Lilies represent charm and grace. Romans followed the Greek obsession with callas. There is a story about the Goddess Venus, who felt threatened by the loveliness of the plant. She cursed them to decrease their allure, which resulted in the yellow spike in the center.
Potting and Repotting
Put callas in the ground between February and June, so long as any danger of frost has passed. When storing indoors, find a cool place (55F). Let the rhizomes dry for three days, then surround them with pine shavings that are very lightly damp. Peek in on them periodically to make sure no rot is developing. You can bring them out from indoors and let them acclimate.
Your calla lily will tell you when it’s ready for a large pot. When the roots look crowded, it’s your first indication. Root-bound callas won’t survive. Gently lift the flowers out of the pot and move them into a new container that’s a bit larger. Fill that pot with soil until you’re within one inch of the rim. Take special care to keep your lily moist during this transition. It helps with plant shock.
By the way, if your planter does not appear to have decent drainage, you can add a layer of coarse gravel to the bottom of the crock.
For in-ground planting, the rhizomes need a 4” depth of porous soil. Make sure there’s a sunny space in the yard for them. Now all that’s left is watching for dryness and enjoying the flowers.
Artist around the world, and throughout time had a love affair with Calla Lily. In many cases, the flower itself is center stage. Consider how Diego Rivera’s paintings tied the calla to Mexico’s rich culture. Matisse created “Calla Lilies, Irises, and Mimosas). Perhaps the best-known paintings are those created by Georgia O’Keef depicting calla lilies and the way in which they resemble female anatomy.
Pruning and Maintenance for Outdoor Calla Lilies
Calla Lilies thrive with proper pruning. It not only keeps your plant looking great but also supports good health. When your plant is actively growing, prune away dead or damaged stems and leaves, especially those at the plant’s base. If there are any leggy stems, you can trim those too. Prune back to within six inches of the soil. This promotes branching out.
Get rid of spent flowers as they complete their bloom. These do nothing for the calla other than use up energy unnecessarily. Keeping your lily clean opens the path for increased foliage and flowers. Come winter, cut everything down to ground level for dormancy. When the time is right, they’ll start sending out leaves again.
Calla Lilies in Arrangements: Calla lily arrangements are traditional for the 6th wedding anniversary. Bouquets based on the Victorian Language of Flowers send the sentimental message, “I am yours.” This flower appears regularly at weddings as centerpieces celebrating purity and unity.
Blooming and Resting Periods for Outdoor Calla Lilies
In USDA Hardiness zones 8 and up, calla lilies are deciduous perennials. In these areas, you can leave the lily in the ground over winter. You may not see anything, but the lily is preparing for the next season. When you treat them properly, you’ll get flowers year after year.
When the weather won’t allow, you can grow calla lilies indoors, or offer them a space in the house where the rhizome can rest until spring.
Because Calla Lilies have various colors, each hue has a different meaning. Orange, for example, represents fearlessness and determination. Purple callas are exquisit and mean wisdom, fidelity, and respect.
Black Calla Lilies are actually deep purple. They are an emblem of magic, mystery, and elegance. Yellow callas speak of gratitude and respect. Finally, the stunning pink calla is the flower of romance.
Calla Lily Common Pests and Plant Diseases
There are a few pests and problems to watch for in your outdoor callas. One is Bacterial Soft Rot. This happens when you accidentally injure the rhyizome when you repot or transplant. Those injured will struggle to survive.
Botrytis is a grey mold created by fungus. Ie appears on leaves, stems, and flowers. This particular disease grows best in cool, wet conditions. Don’t water your plant at night and put water directly into the soil rather than any leaves. Give your plant good air circulation.
Powdery Mildew is another fungus you can fight with good spacing and pruning so air circulates better The leaves will seem white or gray, and they may curl.
As for bugs, we come to Aphids. These little insects are red, green, or black. They feed off the underside of the calla leaves, leaving a sticky residue in their wake. To make matters worse, the residue attracts ants. Insecticidal soap applied periodically may fix the problem.
Slugs are another pest. They leave holes in the foliage, leaving a slime trail. They feed by night. If you can hand pick them off the plant that’s a good start. You can also try setting up a beer trap with steep sides. The slugs go in and cannot get out. Add a barrier of coffee grounds around the plants, too.
If you see little webs around the leaves of your plant, you have spider mites. They are juice-suckers, leaving white dots on the foliage. In time, the leaves dry and yellow. Give them forceful watering with insecticidal soap.
Trips like juice tool You’ll notice discolored flects on the fronds. Thrips will move from plant to plant. Remove any debris from the plant and keep it clean.
There are events for which Calla Lilies are the perfect floral choice.
- Anniversaries: No matter how long someone’s been married, the flower celebrates love.
- Easter: Representative of resurrection
- Funerals: A blossom of hope and rebirth
- Retirement: Calla honors years of service and expresses gratitude
- Valentine’s Day: As a flower of admiration, Callas can express more than words.
- Wedding: An emblem of purity and commitment
Troubleshooting Common Problems
There are three common problems in outdoor calla lilies. First is the plant seems to be growing very slowly. Usually, this happens when they are not in the right growing location. Check the moistness of the soil, and how much light they’re getting. If the plant is potted and has been there for 2-3 years, it likely needs a new container with more room.
A second issue is the failure to bloom. Calla needs a little cold to begin flowering. So when it’s during dormancy, keep the temperature around 45F. Then, when you first plant it, give it a boost of fertilizer. They’re very hungry during the flowering phase. If you’ve grown your callas from seed, they won’t flower in the first season. It usually takes a couple of years before blossoms come.
Third, when your calla lily turns yellow after flowering, there’s nothing wrong whatsoever. It’s just dying back. In other phases of growth, however, it’s often a nutrient deficiency. It’s worth getting a soil test. Also, review your plant for signs of disease or bugs
Names, Names, Names: Besides the names mentioned earlier, calla lily has yet more! They include African Lily, Brosimun aethiopica, Altar Lily, Florist’s cala, Garden calla, Lily of the Nile, and Richardia.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calla Lily Care and Growing
Do calla lilies need full sun or shade?
Calla lilies, especially hybrids, are tender. They need frost-free conditions and plenty of sun. Bright light during day, outside of the reach of midday sun, is ideal. The only instance under which callas can live in full sun is in areas where the temperature averages 70F.
Do calla lilies grow better in pots or in the ground?
They will grow in either. The advantage of pots is the ability to easily move the plant around your yard, or indoors when the winter arrives. Even without the container, you can dig up the rhizome of the plant and house it until the next season.
Do calla lilies come back every year?
Yes, they are perennial and semi-evergreen.
Can you leave calla lilies in pots over winter?
It’s not recommended to leave pots out in the winter. The container may crack due to harsh temperatures and weather. It’s also not good for the calla lily. Cut the lily down to the soil, and bring it into a cool, dry indoor location.
How often should I water calla lilies?
Once a week should do the trick unless you’re going through an especially hot, dry season.
Summary
Calla liles stand out in the landscape. You can mix colors, or put them with complimentary plants. They don’t take a lot of care to achieve success. If you have a water feature in your yard, the lilies will love it. As a perennial, you can buy once and have years of enjoyment afterward.