Learn how to grow and care for calla lily, a sculptural addition to your garden or houseplant collection.
With their chalice-shaped flowers, calla lilies (Zantedeschiaspp.)
bring a big dose of elegance to the garden or your indoor space.
Credit: aimintang / Getty Images
As houseplants, they thrive in spots with bright, indirect light.
Read on to learn how to grow and care for calla lilies indoors or out.
Where to Plant Calla Lily
Calla lilies are toxic to cats and dogs.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Calla lilies are native to South Africa and areconsidered tender perennialsbecause they dont tolerate freezing weather.
Theyre onlyhardy in warmer areas in Zones 810.
Plant the rhizomes with the growing tips facing up.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Callas grow quickly, so you should see shoots about two weeks after planting.
Flowers follow in 13 to 16 weeks, depending on the variety youre growing.
Calla lilies grow from bulb-like rhizomes.
Credit: Andy Lyons
Big, firm rhizomes give you large plants and lots of flowers.
Smaller ones also grow and bloom, but not as vigorously.
An important part of care is to let the plant rest and go dormant once it stops blooming.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
If you live where it freezes, dig up the rhizomes to overwinter them.
Light
Calla lilies grow in the garden in areas withfull sun to partial shade.
Soil and Water
They need moist butwell-drained soilbecause overly soggy soil may cause the rhizomes to rot.
While theyre actively growing, keep your callas consistently moist and dont let them dry out.
Outdoors,mulch themto helpcontrol weedsand keep the soil moist.
Water regularly, especially during dry periods, until the plants are established.
Do not overfertilize calla lilies.
Too much nitrogen will cause the plants to produce more leaves at the expense of flowers.
If you like,repot the rhizomesin the spring.
Then, put the plant back in the light and start watering it again.
It should leaf out and start blooming.
These pests are all easily spotted, identified, and controlled by the vigilant gardener.
Leave them there to cure for three days.
Once theyve cured, pack the rhizomes in a box filled with slightly moist peat moss or sawdust.
Store the box in a dark place at 50 to 60F.
Check them occasionally to ensure they dont get too dry or start to rot from too much moisture.
Types of Calla Lily
There are many varieties of calla lily in a wide range of colors.
Calla lilies grow 1 to 3 feet high, depending on the plant.
They contrast well with the oversized, soft white flowers.
It grows to about 18 inches tall.
‘Flame’
The fiery colored flowers ofZantedeschiaFlame, start out yellow, then turned shades of orange-red.
They top stems 14 to 22 inches tall, with pretty white speckled foliage.
Over time, the blooms fade to an equally striking deep burgundy.
Plants grow to about 22 inches tall.
‘Tequila Sunrise’
Can’t decide which color calla lily to grow?
This mix lights up the garden with flowers in deep red, fiery orange and bright yellow.
Plants reach up to 22 inches tall.
The foliage of these plants adds wonderful texture and color to a garden.
Plant astilbe with calla lily outdoors in woodland or cutting gardens.
Plantgladiolusin a cutting garden with calla lilies for added height in various hues.
Calibrachoa
When planted in containers, calla lilies pair well with annualcalibrachoa.
They come in many colors and bloom all season for continuous enjoyment.
Transplant them into the garden when the weather warms up.
Calla lilies last for a month or two on the plants, depending on the growing conditions.
They are also terrific cut flowers, lasting up to two weeks in a vase with proper care.
To harvest the blooms, dont cut them.
Instead, carefully pull each flower stem from the plant.
Calla lilies grown indoors typically flower for a month or more.
