Zantedeshia Aethiopica – Calla Lily (Bare Root)

The Calla lily is well-known for its striking appearance when in flower, with a brilliant white floral bract wrapping around a yellow finger-like projection in the center. The flowering parts arise from a ring of glossy green leaves. The fruits are green berries which turn orange at the base when ripe. Plant in groups for a striking effect, especially in the moonlight.

• Hardy, Zones 5-9.
• 3 feet high and wide.
• Large white flowers in spring with a yellow spadix.
• Dark green, glossy, arrow-shaped leathery foliage.
• Can be grown in water up to 12 in deep. Use aquatic soil and basket (sold seperately)
• Dormancy – Gardeners should be patient with their calla lilies. While the white-flowered Zantedeschia aethiopica is a winter grower and will start to grow as soon as the weather warms up which revs up the growth, all the other species of calla lilies are winter dormant and usually don’t wake up from their winter dormancy until May or June.
• Water and Soil – In the wild, Z. aethiopica calla lilies grow in marshy conditions and thus can tolerate moist garden sites as long as winter drainage is good. Although Z. aethiopica thrives best in moist, rich sites, it is amazingly durable under less than ideal conditions. In general though, wetter is better and wetter = more flowers. All the other calla lily species and their hybrids, Z. albomaculata, Z. elliotiana, Z. rehmannii etc., are not bog plants and instead prefer a drier, more typical garden soil…well-drained but with consistent moisture. In the winter, bulbs of these calla species are more susceptible to winter rot if the soil is too wet.

Where calla lily plants aren’t winter hardy they are easy to dig in fall and store dry through winter.