The Main Plant entry for Callas (Zantedeschia)

This database entry exists to show plant data and photos that apply generically to all Callas.

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Fruit:	Other: Berries green and firm when ripe. Peduncle bends toward the ground.
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Time:	Other: Seasonal
Uses:	Cut Flower Suitable as Annual
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant
Toxicity:	Other: All parts of plant contain calcium oxalate crystals, an irritant to the mouth and esophagus. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Propagation: Other methods:	Division Offsets
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	Goes Dormant

Common names

Calla Lily
Arum Lily

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by KFredenburg

Location: CA
Date: 5/26/2020
Hot weather has made it kind of droopy.

Uploaded by KFredenburg

Uploaded by imnotmike

Uploaded by KFredenburg

Location: Thomasville, GA USA
Date: 2020-05-15
A newly released #Monarch (number 46 as of 5/15/2020) drying his

Uploaded by Tom_F_GA

Location: Thomasville, GA USA
Date: 2020-05-06
In my garden

Uploaded by Tom_F_GA

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Thomasville, GA USA
Date: 2019-05-10

Uploaded by Tom_F_GA

Location: Mentor on the Lake, Ohio
Date: 2018-06-25

Uploaded by Samlav

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-06-06

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by KFredenburg

Location: Bassett, VA (Zone 7a)
Date: 2024-06-14
Called "Outback". Not sure if that is its true name. Gorgeous!

Uploaded by BlueRidgeGardener23

Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2023-05-13

Uploaded by cwhitt

Uploaded by cwhitt

Location: Fairfax, VA
Date: 2022-04-01
Forgot to take a tag photo

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: 5b
Date: 2017-07-10
Leaf attached to bloom bi-variegated

Uploaded by Samlav

Uploaded by gg5

Uploaded by Joy

Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-07-18
Z. rehmannii hybrid

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-05-17
Calla Lily 017

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-06-14

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by MarilynneS

Uploaded by KFredenburg

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-06-08

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Botanical garden of Crete
Date: 2022-05-30

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Local garden in Russellville
Date: June 25. 2022

Uploaded by gardenfish

Location: Western Washington
Date: 2016-07-04

Uploaded by springcolor

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-05-02
Pink Calla Lily 004

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-05-02
Pink Calla Lily 003

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: z6a MA, my garden
Date: 2014-08-23
Old bloom on a Z. rehmannii type.

Uploaded by eclayne

Uploaded by Samlav

Uploaded by Joy

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-06-26
14 blooms

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-06-14

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2009-03-30

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-08-05

Uploaded by bonitin

$Location: z5 MA, my garden Date: 2011-08-25 Urn 36\"H. Z. albomaculata (in back) and rehmannii type easily to$

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Sunriver Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2011-11-22

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Location: My house
Date: 2017-01-21
I am growing these from seed

Uploaded by Agoo

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: z6a MA, my garden
Date: 2017-10-25
Ripe berries

Uploaded by eclayne

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2015-07-10

Uploaded by DebbieC

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-06-18

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-05-31

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-06-24
Z. elliottiana yellow NoID, Picasso and pink NoID rehmannii.

Uploaded by eclayne

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-06-13

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by JebobaTea

Location: Schwartz Greenhouse, Romulus, MI
Date: 2009-03-30

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by dyzzypyxxy

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-06-21

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Wood County, TX
Date: 2020-06-09
in small bulb/seedling pot

Uploaded by SunriseSide

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Uploaded by PiaLouiseSourvi

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-09-20

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-07-23

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-06-27
Z. rehmannii type

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-07-18
Z. rehmannii type

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Carbon Hill, AL
Date: 2016-05-30
Calla lily

Uploaded by AmiC

Uploaded by AmiC

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by dyzzypyxxy

Location: 5b
Date: 2017-07-10
Large container with compost and part sun

Uploaded by Samlav

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by Samlav

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-04-17
in the basement

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2015-07-14

Uploaded by DebbieC

Location: Wood County, TX
Date: 2020-05-26

Uploaded by SunriseSide

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by Kanna

Uploaded by Kanna

Location: Aberdeen, NC (my garden 2022)
Date: August 6, 2022
Calla lily #80 nn; LHB p. 180, 29-4, "Named for Francesco Zantede

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by SunriseSide

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Jan 13, 2012 10:40 PM concerning plant:

I've found that planted 8" deep is best for those with corms. A bit less for the aethiopica. Full sun, well draining soil and a good mulch cover to retain moisture and reduce overheating of roots leads to happy Callas. They seem to be heavy feeders and like lots of water with aethiopica being the most demanding in that regard.
I plant out in the 3rd and 4th week of May and the elliottiana and pentlandii cultivars bloom first, closely followed by the albomaculata and the rehmannii hybrids. Z. aethiopica is last to bloom, if at all.

I generally lift the tubers and rhizomes after the first frost, however a WET cold autumn can lead to rot even if that KILLING frost is slow to arrive.
All are easy to overwinter dormant as dry tubers/rhizomes. Again the elliottiana and pentlandii cultivars start breaking dormancy first, around mid to late April. They have to be stored with room above so the new shoots don't get damaged.

Reply to this comment
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Jan 9, 2012 9:15 PM concerning plant:

Also known as Calla Lily, Richardias, Arum Lily, and Spotted Calla.
A relatively small genus of the aroids, but, by far, the most decorative in it's family.
Named in honor of Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773 - 1846), an Italian botanist and physician.
Plants are big in the florist trade. Popular in Victorian times and the younger generation of gardeners (ie - today).

Reply to this comment
Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 20, 2013 3:09 AM concerning plant:

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z...

"It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant, evergreen where rainfall and temperatures are adequate, deciduous where there is a dry season. Its preferred habitat is in streams and ponds or on the banks. It grows to 0.6–1 m (2–3 ft) tall, with large clumps of broad, arrow shaped dark green leaves up to 45 cm (18 in) long. The Inflorescences are large, produced in spring, summer and autumn, with a pure white spathe up to 25 cm (10 in) and a yellow spadix up to 90 mm (3½ in) long.

Z. aethiopica contains calcium oxalate, and ingestion of the raw plant may cause a severe burning sensation and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat; stomach pain and diarrhea may occur.

It has been cultivated for the Easter floral trade since the early 20th century; hence the (ambiguous) name "Easter lily", common in Britain and Ireland. It has become an important symbol of Irish republicanism and nationalism since 1926 to commemorate the fallen of Easter 1916 and onwards."

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
Seedfork	On April 12, 2015	Bloomed My first ever callas lily bloom
Seedfork	On March 6, 2015	Plant emerged
piksihk	On March 25, 2024	Obtained plant Gift from Brenda
piksihk	On August 14, 2017	Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
piksihk	On May 8, 2016	Obtained plant purple jonathy for Mom's day
Lalambchop1	On February 1, 2018	Seeds sown WS'd in moist vermicuite in enclosed container.
SunriseSide	On March 25, 2021	Plant emerged First of the callas emerged
SunriseSide	On March 11, 2021	Potted up
MrsBinWY	On June 3, 2021	Potted up 5, 4 had second leaf
MrsBinWY	On April 17, 2021	Seeds germinated 2
MrsBinWY	On March 20, 2021	Seeds sown 7 seeds (all) of variegated yellow calla from Maulwurf. Soak 12-24 hours and germinate warm
WebTucker	On July 20, 2022	Plant emerged
WebTucker	On July 10, 2022	Transplanted
WebTucker	On July 7, 2022	Obtained plant

» Post your own event for this plant

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page