Calla lily is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the gorse family. It is one of the most famous decorative plants that blooms with a beautiful white flower and can grow more than one meter. Some specimens of the plant grow up to 150 cm. It arrived in Europe for the first time in 1697 through Simon van der Stel.
Although its Latin name aethiopica might lead you to think that it is native to Ethiopia, you would be wrong as this somewhat tropical plant originates from the swamps of South Africa. Although today it is mostly cultivated in southern Africa, calla has become a home in our areas as a houseplant or a plant in gardens, most often in greenhouses.
House calla belongs to the genus Zantedeshi – a genus of bulbous, evergreen perennials, eight species of which grow in Africa, and some of them have been imported to other continents over time. This is how the room calla Zantedeschia aethiopica is also widespread in Croatia today. The name of the genus is said to have been derived from the Italian botanist and physicist Giovani Zantedeschi. It is believed that the calla got its name from the genus in which it was previously – snake or viper – Calla.
Calla lilies can grow up to a meter in height. It is characterized by a fleshy rhizome from which rise long stalks, straight petioles and large, smooth and glossy leaves about 80 cm long. They bloom on long stalks 25 cm high, and if you grow them indoors, this happens during the winter.
It blooms with a beautiful white-yellow flower that is located in a cob with a sheath. There are also cultivars of calla that come with flowers of different colors (yellow, pink, red, cream, green and white).
Since it has a beautiful, somewhat romantic appearance, it is often used to decorate rooms where weddings and other ceremonies are held, and it is also a frequent guest of beautifully designed vases and gardens.
Kale planting
In its natural habitat, calla lilies develop and flower during the rainy season, and remain dormant during droughts when a thick, fleshy root (tuber or bulb) enables its survival.
If you are going to plant it in sunny places, provide it with enough water. Avoid completely shady places, because in this case they will get lush green leaves, but no flowers.
It is most often planted from tubers, and when planting, the required distance must be met because it grows lushly, so it needs a little more space for easier maintenance and growth. Therefore, leave a distance of 30 cm between each plant, and half a meter between each row.
Calla lily is a resistant and durable flower that guarantees fast and smooth growth.
Reproduction of calla
Calla reproduces:
- seed
- by division (by tuber)
- root cuttings
It is most often propagated by a tuber that is planted in the ground at a depth of 5 cm. This process needs to be done in the dormant phase of the plant. Several young plants can be obtained from one tuber. Before using the tuber for planting, it must be disinfected with a fungicide and dried, and only then planted in a peat substrate.
If you use seeds for propagation, sow them in cups in the spring months in a sandy substrate that you just lightly cover over the seeds. When the young plants sprout, transplant them into the garden or into jars. It is important to note that it is rarely sown because it needs a lot of space to form somewhat thicker rootstocks.
Calla lilies can also be propagated by division during the growing season. The process looks like we remove part of the plant with the root with a sharp knife and plant it where we want.
Regardless of which type of propagation you choose, the process is done in the spring months.
Cultivation of calla
In order to successfully grow calla lilies, you will need to give them humus-rich and well-drained soil. The flowering of calla will affect the area where it is planted, and since it needs a lot of light, but not full sun, plant it in semi-shade.
Watering calla lilies
In the summer months, calla should be watered abundantly and regularly.
If you are going to grow it as a houseplant, in the summer months it can be moved to an open and bright place, but not directly in the sun.
Calla flowering
Before the calla flowers form, which happens at the end of January, the leaves of the calla suddenly start to swell a lot. Their flowering season can be extended to almost nine months, but only if they are grown properly (lots of light, little sun). It blooms intensively from the winter months until late spring. It is a resistant plant that can flower for years.
At the time of flowering calli, provide enough heat and light, water and feeding. Feed her regularly once a week. At the end of May, the plant goes into a dormant state.
Resting phase
In the dormant phase, gradually reduce fertilizing and watering, and over time its green leaves will begin to die. That’s completely normal. At the end of June, the calla is taken out of the ground, its dried leaves are cut off and the rest of the soil near the roots is removed.
Then it is planted in the garden in a place that is covered with light shade in the afternoon. The planting hole must be filled with soil for flowers.
In the middle of September, the calla is taken out of the beds with the soil and planted in the flower garden. During the winter, calla lilies can continue to grow in warm greenhouses where they will be protected from frost and low temperatures.
If you can’t give her that, bring her into the house, but not in too warm a place. When the temperatures drop a little more, then bring the calla into the room. Feed it with flower fertilizer once a week.
Cultivation of kale in a jar
Although in our region it is mostly grown in the garden, i.e. in greenhouses, you can easily grow it as a potted plant. In this case, plant it in soil that has added perlite and sand.
Growing in jars starts in August or September. Pots with a size of 10 to 15 cm will be best suited for Kali. Place soil enriched with humus and fertilizer in the jars.
Kali needs light to grow, but not too much sun, which could harm it. During the summer months, water it with lukewarm water. Since she needs a lot of moisture, she will benefit from spraying with lukewarm water. If you want successful cultivation, provide the calli with plenty of water and protection from the sun.
Kale grown in jars usually grows up to half a meter in height. Keep them in lighted rooms, but protect them from the sun during the summer.
At the moment when the first leaves appear, it needs to be fed. Top dressing is done every 15 days with a fertilizer solution. Feeding should be continued as long as it produces flowers.
When the flowering period is over, gradually reduce watering. Finally, abolish it completely. The soil must be completely dry, and the leaves must be withered. Then the plant enters a period of rest. Store the tubers in a cool (8 to 12 degrees Celsius), dark and dry place.
No matter how you grow the plant, it is necessary to respect its rest period, otherwise it will die.
Calla will last longer if you trim it regularly.
Propagating calla lilies in jars
Propagation for growing calla in jars is done from seed in the spring months. The seeds are sown in a sandy substrate and covered with nylon to retain moisture inside the jar. Transplant the young plants that sprout into larger jars or, if necessary, into the garden.
Propagation can also be done with young tubers that need to be separated from the main bulb after the resting phase. Immediately before planting, the separated tubers are disinfected with a fungicide and dried, then planted in a peat substrate at a depth of 5 cm.
Diseases and pests of calla
Kala does not have many natural enemies. Because it grows indoors (greenhouse, room), it lacks fresh air, and the dryness of the air can favor the development of aphids. In greenhouses, it can be attacked by small slugs.
Kale picking
In order to maintain structure and durability, it is recommended to pick in the morning or slightly later in the evening. It is important that the temperature in the greenhouses drops below 18 degrees during picking. Otherwise, the plant could lose its familiar structure after picking.
Since they retain their freshness and structure for several weeks after picking, they are very popular and in demand as vase flowers.
The use of kale
Calla lilies have been used in interior decoration for many years. White flowers, like lilies, symbolize youth and innocence, so they have been used as flowers for wedding bouquets since ancient times. Because they are resistant, they can last a long time in a vase as cut flowers.
If you plant calla in the garden, it will look beautiful as a plant on the edge of a flower bed or garden and planted next to a decorative lake.
If you have pets in your apartment, it is not recommended to grow calla lilies. Namely, calla contains toxic alkaloids that can irritate the skin. In case you have to pick calla, be sure to use gloves.
Photo: LoggaWiggler / Pixabay