Calla Lily

Calla lilies originated in the marshes of South Africa where they often grew 5 to 6 feet tall or more. Generally, the calla lilies grown indoors are much smaller, the larger varieties getting to about 3 feet tall.

It is not very tricky to encourage the plants to produce a fragrant succession of flowers all winter long. They like sunny locations, but will still bloom in a slightly shady spot. They must have moist conditions during their growing season to be happy. You can achieve this by placing the pot of calla lilies in a bowl of water and keeping the bottom wet at all times. Unlike some other bulbs, callas bloom better when heavily fertilized, so it's a good idea to establish a regular feeding schedule.

Stop fertilizing them in April, but continue watering through mid-summer. Then, stop watering and let the foliage die. After everything has withered, cut off all growth at soil level, and store the pot with a lid on top in a warm, dry, dark place. By fall, the soil will be powdery dry and you can divide or repot the dormant calla rhizomes at this time. Then, in late fall, put the plant in indirect light and start watering again to produce the blooms for late winter.