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Sep 18, 2016 3:42 PM CST
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This is the third year of planting these calla lilies in the same spot. Other years they were very successful. This year the foliage looks very healthy. The five flowers developed as I would expect, but the stems they are on bent down back to towards the ground at about half of its natural height. The flowers that developed on the stem are the full size, but are tight, as if they have not fully opened but otherwise look normal.

I am in zone 5 and they are planted where they get afternoon and early evening sun - little morning sun. They are planted along a concrete walkway (about 2-3ft away). They were planted well after all frost with a mixture of cow manure and blood and bone meal. In the warmer months we water them daily along with our annuals (wave petunias/impatients etc). This was an unusually dry summer.

Any suggestions of what may have happened to the flowers/stems would be appreciated. I am considering replacing these with a brighter colour (yellow) anyway, but would like to know if there was something I did wrong so I don't get the same results with the new ones. (I am thinking of replacing these since they are red and I am colour blind so the flowers don't show up to me against the green foliage, but it would be nice to keep one of the red bulbs to mix with the yellow if they will bloom properly next year for others to see.

Thank you
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Sep 18, 2016 7:30 PM CST
Name: Daisy I
Reno, Nv (Zone 6b)
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Are you sure you didn't miss them blooming? They usually bend toward the ground like that as the blooms age. By the time the seeds form, the flower head is on the ground.
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Sep 18, 2016 7:36 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
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Callas seem to like lots of water. Sounds like you're on the west coast.
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Sep 18, 2016 10:29 PM CST
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Name: Suzanne/Sue
Sebastopol, CA (Zone 9a)
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I read the drooping blooms stems can result if the plant is over or under watered. Both cases can cause the flower bending downward. Sometimes, the blooms are too large, which might develop up to 5 inches long and slender stems is not strong enough to support them.
Also excess nitrogen fertilizer encourages leafy growing process which results in drooping calla lily.
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