Calla Lily care is not at all demanding, making it an ideal indoor plant for beginners who want to beautify their homes and offices.
If you follow the calla lily plant care tips in this guide, you really can’t go wrong.
But first, a little interesting background information about this beautiful plant.
Although they’re not actually lilies, calla lilies have some shared qualities; they’re exotic, graceful, and sensual plants, leaving carers surprised by how easy it is to care for them.
Also known as arum lily, the calla lily or zantedeschia aethiopica is a species from the Araceae family. They naturally grow in the south of Africa, including Lesotho and Swaziland.
This herbaceous and perennial plant grows near streams and ponds in its natural habitat where it can reach up to 3 feet in height. It has beautiful, tall, dark green leaves that can go up to 18 inches in height.
Indoors, it will prefer partial shade and dappled sunlight since too much direct sunlight can damage its gentle petals.
Its inflorescences are big and develop in spring, summer, and autumn. They have a pure white spathe and a yellow spadix. And, the spadix releases a stunning sweet fragrant note.
Besides making your spaces beautiful, it will also purify the air. It’s known to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Also, it will take in pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.
Interesting Fact:
Did you know that the common name ‘calla lily’ comes from the Greek word for beautiful (calla)? – They’re considered a symbol of faithfulness, holiness, and purity.
Important Warning:
Though simple and elegant, this plant has calcium oxalate and ingestion of it can lead to serious burning sensation and swelling, as well as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Therefore, make sure it’s out of reach from children and pets!
How to take Care of a Calla Lilly
Light
Calla lilies love partial shade and sufficient brightness indoors; however; avoid areas where they’ll be exposed to direct sunlight for long hours.
I’ve noticed that they’re quite fragile and this may end up burning their beautiful florets. If you live in cooler climates, they’ll appreciate more sunlight whereas in hotter places, partial shade is best.
Temperature
Calla lilies will thrive indoors if the temperature during the day is between 60 and 75 degrees F. At night, it shouldn’t go below 55 degrees F.
Water & Humidity
To keep your calla lilies happy and healthy, avoid watering them too frequently, especially in the beginning.
When the rhizomes have established, do it once per week if the soil is dry. When there’s drought, increase the watering.
They love humidity, so providing them with enough moisture is important to prevent them from going dormant. Around 65 and 75 percent is optimal whereas anything below 50 isn’t recommendable.
If you worry about your home being too dry, a tray with water and pebbles or a humidifier may be a good idea.
Soil
For potted calla lilies indoors, it’s essential to choose a moist, rich, and well-draining soil to ensure thriving and blooming.
Since they naturally grow around ponds and love moisture, they make awesome bathroom plants.
Feeding
If you want big blooms and more of them, fertilizing your calla lilies is a must. Do it when you plant them and repeat it every spring. A formula rich in phosphorus would be perfect.
For its annual feeding, choose an organic product or a slow-release blend. This will release the nutrients slower and the plant will absorb them easier.
Repotting
If there’s an easy thing to do in gardening, it’s the repotting of this plant.
Just carefully lift them up from the current pot and put them into the new, slightly bigger one, filled with fresh soil. Inspect the roots before you do this.
Once you set them in, add more soil until only an inch from its rim is free.
Propagation
If you want to share your calla lily or just multiply your pots with this stunner, you can choose between 2 ways.
One is through rhizomes and the other is through seeds. To do it the first way, divide the rhizomes and ensure each has roots and eyes.
The other way involves putting a soilless medium in a draining pot and placing the seeds you’ve started in pots. You can actually use the seeds produced by your current calla lily.
After flowering, they produce seed pods. Collect them once dried and take them out from the pods. Keep them in a container in a cool area and wait for spring.
Plant two per pot, right under the soil. Keep it moist daily and check it for growth. In a week, remove seeds which haven’t developed.
Best Types of Calla Lilies
White Calla Lily
Considered to be the original calla lily, the white calla lily is by far the most popular.
Their pure white spathe and yellow spadix that releases a stunning sweet fragrance, contrasts beautifully with their deep green spathes.
It’s easy to understand their popularity.
Green Goddess
As the name itself indicates, this cultivar boasts beautiful green stripes on the spathes that prolong the longevity of the flowers.
The spathe is also wider and tends to have curvy fringes on its edges.
Pink Mist
This variety has a pretty pink spathe base and a pink spadix.
The color develops the best when you place the plant in partial shade after rain. However, it’s a much more delicate variety than the original or the Green goddess.
Calla Lily Care After Blooming
After the blooms have gone away, don’t forget to remove the flower stems.
Calla lily flowers are the perfect cut flowers-they won’t just look amazing in vases, but also have a long vase life, up to 2 weeks of freshness!
Although the plant doesn’t need regular pruning, deadheading the flowers when they wilt is recommended. Always wear gloves when you do this. Cut the stems below the base of the flower.
Trouble Shooting- Common Issues
Problem: the plant is drooping/wilting
Cause: Lack of water.
Solution: Water them plant and wait for a day or two. If it perks up, it just needed water.
Problem: flowers are droopy
Cause: Fungal illnesses such as root rot or anthracnose.
Solution: Replace the soil with new one and inspect the roots.
Problem: bronzed leaves/yellow mottling & distorted flowers & leaves
Cause: Mites.
Solution: Treat the plant with mite and insect soap-based spray.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this article on calla lily care and that you enjoy the beauty of this easy to care for plant in your home.
If you love lilies then check out this popular beauty
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