Your card for December 5, 2017
Lalita
Calla Lilies
Flower and Leaves
The showy white calla lily bloom, which is actually a modified
leaf known as a spathe, sits at the top of a leafless stalk.
The funnel-shaped, fragrant bloom usually grows up to 4 to 6
inches long but may grow as long as 10 inches. Inside the
spathe, you can see the tiny, true flowers on the narrow
spadix or flower spike. The dark green, arrowhead-shaped,
16-inch-long leaves grow from stalks at the base of the stem.
Location
Although gardeners and florists prize the white calla lily,
the plant is considered a weed in its native South Africa. It
grows up to 6 feet tall in wetlands in its native habitat and
can grow as a marginal pond plant in a container in 1 foot of
water. White calla lilies are hardy in U.S. Department of
Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10 and do not
tolerate temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Culture
White calla lilies tolerate partial shade, but they grow and
bloom best in full sun and evenly moist soil. Plant the
rhizomes 4 to 6 inches deep and 2 feet apart, and add 5-10-5
or 5-10-10 fertilizer in the spring 1 month after planting. In
regions with subfreezing winter temperatures, you can cut the
stems to 2 inches above the soil and dig up the rhizomes in
the fall. After the rhizomes dry in a warm, dry location,
store them in vermiculite at 50 to 60 degrees through the
winter. White calla lilies grow as house plants in moist soil
and bright sunshine.
Card by Lalita Rudy
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