Description
Zantedeschia – Calla Lily – Arum Lily – Pig Lily
There are 28 tuberous rhizomes, perennials within the Arum family, which make up this genus. They are found naturally occurring in moist soils, swamps, or lake edges in South and East Africa. They are grown for their unusual, white or brightly colored funnel shaped spathes, which surround a finger like golden yellow spadices. Most bear lance shaped or narrowly to broadly arrow to heart shaped leaves. A number of hybrids have been developed.. Elliottiana hybrids have broadly heart shaped, usually mid to dark green leaves, covered in translucent white dots, and usually yellow spathes, 6” long, surrounding yellow spadices. Rehmannii hybrid have lance shaped, rarely spotted, mid to dark green leaves, and white to pink or dark purple spathes, 5” long, surrounding yellow spadices.
Under glass, grow in soil based potting mix in full light. In growth, water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks until flowers fade. Keep just moist in winter. Outdoors, grow in humus rich moist soil in full sun. As a marginal aquatic, grow Z. aethiopica in an aquatic container 10-12” across, filled with heavy loam soil, in water 6-12” deep. Divide perennials in spring.
Prone to rhizome rot, bacterial soft rot, gray mold (Botrytis), rust and virus disease.
Z. albomaculata – Z. melanoleuca – Spotted Calla – This rhizomatous perennial from Tropical Africa, South Africa and East Africa grows 12-16” tall and half as wide. It produces semi erect, arrow shaped, mid green, basal leaves, to 18” long with translucent white spots. In summer, bears white to cream pale yellow, or pale pink spathes, to 5” long, each with a purple mark inside at the base, surrounding yellow spadices.
Zones 11-12
