The Calla lily with a multitude of colors available it makes an extraordinary flowering plant. It grows from rhizomes, and it is versatile enough to be grown almost anywhere.
Outdoors in beds as border plants or as houseplants in a cute container near a sunny window.
The White Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) is easy-to-grow and alluring, even when not in bloom.
They don’t require a lot of attention but there are still some important things to consider. People love them not only for their beauty as it also has other great uses.
Continue reading to learn more about growing calla lilies.
Calla Lily Care And Growing Conditions
The Calla sometimes comes as a more extensive and sturdier variety, perfect for cut flowers. The smaller and compact calla lilies, on the other hand, works better for container cultivation.
In good conditions, a flower will show for every third leaf. The Calla lily flower has a yellow spadix surrounded by a large that looks like a cone. Moreover, it wears a delicate fragrance.
Check these growing requirements to ensure that your Calla lily is always at its pinnacle of beauty.
Light And Temperature
For the Calla lily to shine at its best, it needs bright light conditions. Place them near the window to receive an ample amount of sunlight. However, a sunny, summer garden is still the best place to plant them.
How Often Should You Water Calla Lilies?
Calla plants require frequent watering as it quickly loses water through evaporation. Fertilize them once a week from February to November.
Soil And Transplanting
Repot your Calla lily to a large pot every year after a hot summer. Remove side tubers and plant them in pots with six to seven inch of rich soil. The ideal composition consists of 75% compost and 25% potting soil.
Grooming
Remove old leaves and side shoots at the base if there are too many. Cut them off with a sharp knife.
Tips On Buying Calla Lily
Calla lily may be easy-to-grow and long-lived. It’s still important to pick the healthy ones out of a bunch of bulbs being sold for best results and to avoid the spread of disease in our garden.
What To Look For
Inspect the Calla lilies for discolored leaves which indicates a spider mite problem. Make sure that you purchase Calla lilies that are free from spots, brown tips, blemishes, bruises and other visible damage. Besides, spadices should be easily seen.
Sale Season
It’s best to purchase a new Calla lily plant in spring. Plant them in a large pot, and the should be ready for the summer.
How To Propagate Calla Lily From Seeds
You can propagate Callas from seeds or offsets.
Using Offsets
They produce offsets at the roots. One of the easiest ways to make new plants is to sow these offsets five inches deep in their own pots.
Propagation with the use of offsets won’t produce blooms on its first 18 months. Experts recommend propagating by seeds which work as a safer and a good route. However, you will need to wait for up to two years before you can see its first flowers.
Seed Propagation
Start with seed propagation of Calla lilies at spring. Place them in a damp paper towel and cover. Store in a cool, dry place.
Uncover the damp towel after a few days and examine carefully. Discard seeds that do not show any signs of life. Place one to two of the remaining seeds in each pot of rich, well-draining soil.
Keep the soil moist and observe. Go back after a week and remove the seeds that did not grow. You will need to wait for a few weeks more.
When sprouts appear, remove the weakest ones to give more energy to the stronger shoots. Once they have grown more prominent, you can transplant them to bigger pots or outdoors.
Tips On Growing Calla Lilies
Calla lilies are found in areas with frost-free conditions. It loves the summer heat and can grow healthy in the absence of spider mites. For its best appearance, check these tips on growing and caring for Calla lilies.
More Leaves Means More Flowers
The growth of Calla lilies does not depend on temperature, humidity or day length. However, it should bear three leaves before it can flower. The more blades, the more flowers your Calla lily can produce.
Because of this 3:1 condition, the secret to cultivating Calla lilies lies within vigorous growth. As such, you will need to provide your plants with plenty of food and water except in the winter season.
Keep Them Outside
A Calla lily plant carries thick, tuberous roots that store nutrients. The stored fuel gives them enough nourishment to survive long seasons of drought and starvation. However, such conditions will leave them at a sad, drooping state.
Take your Calla outdoors in summer. They don’t like to be indoors due to lack of bright, natural light. They will also grow beautifully anywhere with enough moisture.
Summer Vacation – The Best Time To Propagate
Summer gives Calla lilies the strength to bloom. The offset can be acquired and planted at the same time. Make sure to give place them in large pots with rich, well-drained soil.
Pest And Diseases
For as long as you provide plenty of water and food, your Calla lily will experience a trouble-free growth. The only exceptions would be the following infestation and conditions.
Spider Mites
The only difficulty when growing Calla lily depends on the probability of a spider mite attack. These pests are the worst enemies of Callas. They avoid detection by hiding under the leaves until the beautiful Calla lily leaves become gray-yellow.
The best solution to get rid of them is to spray the plant with water coming out of a hose. This should knock the spider mites out. Repeat to eliminate most of the insect pest and their eggs.
Learn more about how to eliminate spider mites.
Stem Rot
This disease is caused by a bacteria that target the lower part of the stem. There is no cure for this condition, and affected plants must be destroyed so it won’t infect the others.
Ring Mosaic Virus
An affected Calla lily plant will show spots and stripes on its leaves and stems. Like the stem rot, there’s no known cure for the ring mosaic virus. Affected plants must be segregated and thrown away immediately to avoid the spread of infection.
It’s Easy To Grow And Care For Calla Lilies
Raising the Calla lily and providing care is easy for as long as you keep them moist and outdoors to enjoy the bright light.
Also, it’s worth noting that a flower bloom is only possible when Calla lily develops three leaves.
Provide plenty of food and water, and protect your plants from spider mite attacks so they can keep on blooming beautiful flowers for a long time.