Growing and Caring for Calla Lily - The Ultimate Guide from Proven Winners®
Adorn indoor and outdoor spaces with this classic flowering plant
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Calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.) is a popular summer-blooming plant grown for the attractive lance-shaped foliage and funnel-shaped flowers, known as spathes. The elegant blooms occur in a wide array of colors, from pure white to nearly black. Types of calla lilies include common calla lily (Z. aethiopica), which is hardier than other species, as well as colorful modern hybrids. Calla lily flowers are traditionally used in floral arrangements for weddings and holidays.
This South African native is a rhizomatous, tender perennial that can be grown as an annual in colder climates. Calla lilies are easy to grow and versatile in beds, borders, and containers. Use caution when planting them in your yard or displaying them in your home, as they are toxic to pets and humans. Here's how to grow calla lilies and use them in your home or yard.
CALLA LILY CARE & PLANTING
How to plant: Calla lilies grow from dense rhizomes, and can be grown outdoors as a garden specimen, in containers, or indoors as a houseplant. If planting outside, wait until all danger of frost is past in your area. When growing calla lilies, choose a site with full sun to partial shade and rich, well-draining soil. Provide afternoon shade in hotter climates. Follow these steps, placing plants 1 foot apart.
- Loosen soil in the planting area to improve drainage.
- Gently remove potted plants from the nursery container.
- Dig a hole slightly wider and deeper than the root ball.
- Place in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil.
- Fill in the hole with soil, tamp down lightly to remove air pockets, and water well.
- Keep plants watered regularly until established.
If planting rhizomes in the ground or containers, wait until all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed up. Plant the rhizomes 1.5 to 2 inches deep with the growing tips facing upwards. Water sparingly until plants begin showing leaf growth. Make sure containers have adequate drainage holes to prevent root rot.
Soil: Grow callas in rich, well-drained soils. For containers, use a high-quality, all-purpose potting mix that drains well.
Watering: When caring for calla lilies, keep soil evenly moist but not soggy to prevent root rot. Don't allow plants to dry out completely. Container plants will dry out more quickly than those in the ground.
Fertilizing: Apply a slow-release granular fertilizer in spring at the time of planting. Avoid using a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, which will promote foliage at the expense of flowers. Plants in containers will benefit from regular feeding, as nutrients leach out more quickly. Use a water-soluble fertilizer once or twice a month through the growing season according to package instructions.
Mulching: Calla lily plants in the ground will benefit from a layer of organic material placed around the base. This will help suppress weeds, retain moisture, and provide a steady source of nutrients throughout the growing season.
Pruning: Pull off (don't cut) spent calla lily flower heads to promote new blooms and lush growth. Remove any dead or damaged foliage as needed to improve plant appearance. As the weather cools in fall, plants will begin to die back naturally, resulting in yellow or brown foliage. Allow foliage to die back as much as possible before bringing plants indoors for winter.
Overwintering: In regions colder than USDA zone 8, calla lilies can be grown as an annual, or rhizomes can be dug up and overwintered indoors to replant the following spring. Before the first hard frost, cut off foliage and lift rhizomes from the ground. Place rhizomes in a box with peat moss or sawdust, and store in a cool, dark place with temperatures around 50 degrees F. Keep rhizomes slightly damp by misting occasionally, and don't allow them to dry out completely. Container plants can be left in pots and allowed to go dormant in a cool room such as a basement or unheated garage.
TRY THESE PROVEN WINNERS® VARIETIES
Add these beautiful calla lily varieties to your home or landscape:
 Be My® Sunshine (Zantedeschia hybrid) has dark-green speckled foliage and bright-yellow flowers, adding a ray of sunshine to beds and containers. Plants bloom for 6 to 8 weeks, with individual spathes lasting even longer. Zones: 8-13 Find more beautiful yellow flowers for your garden. |
 Be My® First Love (Zantedeschia hybrid) produces vivid hot-pink flowers, adding long-lasting color to cut flower arrangements and borders. Use the brightly colored flowers in a tropical-themed landscape. Zones: 8-12 |
 Be My® Heart (Zantedeschia hybrid) has lush, green foliage with irregular speckling and deep-burgundy flower spathes, adding sophisticated elegance to beds, containers, and indoor decor. When grown in containers, keep plants slightly potbound, which will encourage more blooms. Zones: 8-13 |
 Be My® Main Squeeze™ (Zantedeschia hybrid) adds tropical punch to the home or garden, with flowers in warm yellow-orange tones. Brighten up floral arrangements or patio containers with this brilliant variety. Zones: 8-12 |
 Be My® Prince (Zantedeschia hybrid) is an elegant variety with dusky-purple flowers and a slim white margin for stunning contrast. Plants will bloom for 6 to 8 weeks, adding long-lasting color to flower beds or indoor decor. Zones: 8-12 |
 Be My® Princess (Zantedeschia hybrid) creates a subdued effect in outdoor or indoor decor, with flowers that have a pale-pink throat with green undersides. Spathes can hold on up to 12 weeks, maturing to richer colors as they age. Place in a bedroom or display near a spa for calming color. Zones: 8-12 |
 Be My® Destiny (Zantedeschia hybrid) is one of the best calla lily varieties for vigor, flower production and disease resistance. Prolific grape-purple blooms have a deeper purple throat, surrounded by lush dark green foliage. Makes a great house-warming gift or arrangement, with cut flowers lasting up to two weeks in a vase. Zones: 8-12 |
CALLA LILY FAQs
Are calla lilies perennials?
Calla lily can be grown outdoors as a tender perennial in warmer regions. In cooler zones, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors to replant the following growing season.
Do calla lilies spread?
Calla lily plants grow from rhizomatous roots, which multiply over time. The rhizomes can be dug up and divided to make new plants. In parts of California, calla lily is considered invasive, as seeds are dispersed by birds, and rhizomes may be disturbed or moved by wildlife.
How long do potted calla lilies last?
Calla lilies grown as indoor houseplants can last up to several months. When planted outdoors in containers, calla lilies will grow from late spring until the first hard frost.
When do calla lilies bloom?
Calla lilies can begin blooming in late spring in warmer climates. In most regions, calla lilies bloom for up to 8 weeks in summer.
When to plant calla lily bulbs?
Calla lily rhizomes should be planted in spring when all danger of frost is past, or soil has warmed up to 65 degrees F.
Can calla lilies be planted outside?
Calla lilies are most often grown outdoors, either in the ground, or containers. They can also be grown indoors as a houseplant.
Do deer eat calla lilies?
Calla lilies are toxic to animals and are shunned by deer and other wildlife.
Do calla lilies bloom all summer?
Plants may bloom for much of the summer, depending on the quality of calla lily care and the variety grown. Bloom time can last for 3 to 8 weeks, with spathes remaining on the plant for several more weeks.
HOW TO USE CALLA LILY IN YOUR HOME OR GARDEN
Calla lilies are versatile when displayed outdoors in beds, borders, or containers. They can also be grown indoors as a houseplant. Here are some ideas on how to use and display calla lilies:
- Mass calla lilies in a bed or border for a showy display.
- Grow calla lily along a slope or hillside where it can be displayed for dramatic effect.
- Combine calla lily in a border with other tropical-looking plants such as coleus, elephant ear, hardy banana, and canna lily for a sizzling summertime display.
- Plant calla lilies in a bed along a patio or deck where the stunning flowers can be enjoyed up close.
- Grow calla lilies in a woodland border alongside other woodland favorites such as hosta, astilbe and ferns.
- Adorn the edge of an aquatic feature such as a pond, stream or pool with calla lilies massed together for a captivating effect.
- Plant calla lily in a container by itself, or as an upright “thriller” element in combination with other plants with similar growing needs. The dramatic arrow-shaped foliage will remain attractive even when plants are not in bloom.
- Display calla lily plants indoors on a coffee table, desktop, or shelf. Keep these toxic plants out of reach of curious children and pets.
- Cut flowers can be displayed in an attractive vase in a home or office, or outdoors on a patio or deck. Rather than cutting with clippers, carefully pull each flower stem from the base of the plant. Flowers will last up to two weeks in a vase.
CALLA LILY COMPANION PLANTS
Plant calla lily alongside other plants with similar cultural needs of full sun to partial shade; rich, well-draining soil; and regular moisture.
For a bold, tropical-themed border, combine calla lily with:
- Toucan® Scarlet canna lily
- Heart of the Jungle® elephant ear
- Summerific® ‘All Eyes on Me’ rose mallow
- Luscious Berry Blend™ lantana
Use calla lily as a thriller element in outdoor containers in combination with:
- Superbells® Honeyberry™ calibrachoa
- ColorBlaze® El Brighto coleus
- Goldilocks creeping Jenny
- Mezoo™ Trailing Red Livingstone daisy
Find more calla lily container recipes.
For a compelling indoor houseplant display, combine calla lily alongside:
- Mythic® Nessie elephant ear
- Color Full® Beauty Star pinstripe calathea
- Mysteria® Deliciosa Swiss cheese plant
- Igneous™ Ruby Crab™ Chinese evergreen
Find more ideas for bringing a living touch into your home.
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