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. ‘Black Magic’– This Elliottiana hybrid grows 30” tall and 8” wide. It produces heavily spotted mottled leaves. In summer, it bears yellow spathes, with black throats, in summer.
Zones 8-10
