General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Full Shade
Water Preferences: In Water
Wet
Wet Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 10b
Plant Height: 2 to 3 feet (61-91cm)
Plant Spread: 18 to 30 inches (46-76cm)
Leaves: Evergreen
Fruit: Other: Berries green and firm when ripe. Peduncle bends toward the ground.
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: White
Other: White spathe and yellow spadix.
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Other: Seasonal
Underground structures: Rhizome
Suitable Locations: Bog gardening
Uses: Water gardens
Cut Flower
Suitable as Annual
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Drought tolerant
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Roots are poisonous
Fruit is poisonous
Other: All parts of plant contain calcium oxalate crystals, an irritant to the mouth and esophagus. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Propagation: Seeds: Other info: Remove seeds from berry which contains chemicals that inhibit germination.
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Offsets
Pollinators: Various insects
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious
Goes Dormant

Image
Common names
  • Calla Lily
  • Arum Lily
  • Large White Aethiopica
  • Water Calla
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Zantedeschia aethiopica
  • Synonym: Calla aethiopica

Photo Gallery

Date: 2018-07-06
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 15, 2007
Location: San Rafael, CA
Date: 2018-03-28
Calla’s are ‘calling’
Photo by dyzzypyxxy

Date: 2021-05-18
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2020-04-28
Location: Darling, Western Cape, South Africa
Image by Spencer C. H. Barrett, University of Toronto
Location: Canoga Park, California
Date: 2010-03-23
Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-06-05
Location: California
Date: April 2021

Date: 2018-07-01
Location: Near Napa Valley (Northern California)
Date: 2021-02-27
Location: South Australia
Date: 2004-10-07
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-05-02
Calla Lillies 020
Location: Levada da Ponta do Pargo - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-23
Location: London.
Date: 2014-06-08
Location: Piedmont, California
Date: 4-2015
Oh so Georgia O'Keefe
Location: Pacific Northwest, zone 8
Date: May 18, 2007
Location: Tacoma, WA
Date: 2023-07-01
Location: Oregon
Date: late May 2012
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2014-04-27
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2014-05-18
Location: Monte Palace - Funchal - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-14
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: Botanical garden of Madeira
Date: 2023-04-11
Location: my garden, Sarasota FL
Date: 2013-03-19
Location: western Oregon
Date: spring 2012
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date: 2019-11-12
4-day-old seedlings

Credit florum

Credit florum

Date: 2012-12-29

Date: 2012-07-06
[...my Calla Lily starting out after being in the loft hybernatin

Date: 2012-07-06
[...arum Lily stems.]

Date: 2012-07-06
[...arum Lily leaves.]
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2014-05-18
Location: Levada da Ponta do Pargo - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-23
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-09-08
Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-10-10
Mostly shade now that the Castor Bean and Colocasia have taken ov
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date: 2019-11-23
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-08-15
This plant actually comes from my last trip to Brazil, where it i
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-15
Mine grows very tall as it doesn't receive much sun.
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-16
Location: Barcelona, Spain | April, 2023 
Date: 2023-04-04
Location: Barcelona, Spain | April, 2023 
Date: 2023-04-04

photo credit: Eric Hunt

Date: 2020-08-02

Date: 2012-12-29

Credit florum

Credit florum

Credit florum

Credit florum
Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-06-06

Date: 2020-05-02
Location: Botanical garden of Madeira
Date: 2023-04-11
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
Plant Events from our members
tabbycat On March 1, 2024 Bloomed
Old fashioned tall just started blooming on all new growth. I noticed they like winter west morning sun til it goes over house & temps heat up then struggles. Same for Green Goddess but no flowers yet.
tabbycat On February 14, 2022 Plant emerged
I covered when frosty but sprouting new leaves & looking good
tabbycat On May 20, 2021 Bloomed
1st flower of '21
tabbycat On March 20, 2021 Transplanted
From long pot to make a 3',row under bathroom window.
tabbycat On March 12, 2021 Plant emerged
Lots of new growth
tabbycat On February 26, 2021 Miscellaneous Event
Freeze got all tops, hoping bulbs are ok
tabbycat On March 15, 2020 Bloomed
1st bloom of 2020
tabbycat On January 1, 2020 Miscellaneous Event
Has 6" leaves so covered when temps dropped to 38*
tabbycat On February 8, 2019 Bloomed
1st flower with a nice cluster of leaves from rootstock I got in a trade .
MrsBinWY On July 18, 2021 Potted up
7-18-2021 potted up into a 12.5" diameter x 13" deep pot (way overdue; plant broke the pot winter/spring of 2021). Last time I potted it up was 3-22-2015 into an 8.5" diameter x 6" deep pot (was probably way overdue then, too).
MrsBinWY On November 8, 2019 Seeds germinated
2 in the morning; 5 by evening; total of 10 seedlings emerged out of 11 seeds. On 12-6-19, the 1st true leaf was just starting to emerge on the largest seedlings. The 11th seedling emerged a few months later, but it perished in the warm weather.
MrsBinWY On October 13, 2019 Seeds sown
Germination test: Forgot about the seeds & left them in the sun room all summer (inside their pulpy outer skins). Soaked seeds ~20 hours in water that started out hot, sowed them in a milk jug @ room temp. (moved to top of aquarium ~11-1-19)
mevl On November 15, 2022 Winterized
the best time when to dig Calla Lilies is right after the frost has killed the foliage. This is going to ensure that your Calla Lilies have stored all the nutrients they are able to survive over winter.

The next step to care Calla Lilies over winter is after you dig them up, you have to brush off any remaining dirt gently. Please do not wash the Calla Lilies rhizomes off because this will be able to cause the rhizomes to rot later on. After that, you have to cut off the foliage from the top of the rhizomes, leaving approximately 2 to 3 inches or 5-7.5 cm of the dead leaves. After this, you have to leave the rhizomes to dry in a warm and dry place to dry for 4 to 7 days. This is very crucial for Calla Lilies care in winter as it allows the outer skin of the rhizome to toughen up, and will assist it survive the winter. This is known as curing.

After the Calla Lilies rhizomes have already dried, you are able to place them in a paper bag. Or you are also able to wrap them in newspaper. Please store them in a cool and dry place, somewhere that stays around 10 C (50 F). Of course, proper Calla Lilies winter care is very crucial to having those lovely flowers in your garden year after year.

Great Way to Store Calla Lilies Over Winter

Firstly, you have to cut back your Calla Lilies' inflorescences to 3 inches above the soil line by using garden shears after the first light frost yellows or damages the foliage. Loosen the soil 3 to 6 inches from the base of the callas by using a garden trowel.
Please work the trowel around 6 inches under the Calla Lilies. Loosen the soil ball containing the rhizome and its roots by rocking it up and down. Then, lift the soil ball and the lilies from the ground.
You need to pick away the big clumps of soil from the rhizomes and roots with a wood skewer or pencil. Please place the rhizomes under cool-running water to rinse away the soil.
Now, you are able to space the Calla Lilies around 2-inches apart in a single layer on a table placed out of direct sunlight and shielded from the rain and wind. Let the Calla Lilies cure outside for 3 days to a week if the temperature remains between 60 and 70 degrees F.
The next step is to scrape away any remaining soil from the rhizomes and roots by using a wood skewer or pencil. Please tag the inflorescences with a garden tag with the cultivar name written on it. Also, you are able to write the cultivar name on the rhizome with a permanent marker.
You need to line the bottom of a vented plastic container with 1 to 2 inches of substrate like peat moss or vermiculite. Just space the Callas Lilies approximately 1-inch apart on the substrate. If you do not have a vented plastic container, you are able to use a cardboard box with some holes punched in the sides.
Now, you have to cover the Calla Lilies with 1 or 2 inches of substrate. Ensure that you fill the spaces between them. Please place the container in a frost-free room with low humidity and a temperature between 40 and 50 degrees F until the danger of frost ends in spring.
Look at the Calla Lilies every week or two over winter and check for drying and wrinkling. You need to spray the substrate several times with water from a spray bottle if your rhizomes look a bit dry. If needed, you are able to soak a utility knife in a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part all-purpose bleach for 15 minutes to sterilize it and then cut away any rotted or moldy portions of the rhizomes. Please replace any substrate which appears or smells rotten or moldy.
DeweyRooter On April 12, 2023 Potted up
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Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Fun by eclayne Dec 30, 2012 9:24 AM 2
! by joannakat Mar 10, 2019 1:21 PM 2

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