Lilies: Tropical calla Lilies ?, 1 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
Neil,

Calla - Zantedeschia has two main groups, summer grower - Z. elliottiana (usually wide spotted leaf) and Z. rehmannii (smooth narrow) and then there is the winter growing Z. aethiopica, wide leaf, white flowers in early summer.

Aethiopica and elliottiana have the same leaf shape, large arrow head shape with larger flowers than rehmannii. Rehmannii are the ones you see with all those wild colors-purple, red, pink, lavender, pale lavender etc and a more narrow leaf, almost strap shaped. Aethiopica is white flowered, elliottiana usually white or yellow always w/spotted leaf. Hybrids don't follow the rules.

A & E tend to have a large bulb with several leaves (5+)on each bulb making an above ground stem and large flowers. R tends to have few leaves per bulb (2-3) and the leaves seem to come up out of the soil, no stem visible, more grassy and the flowers are smaller, more numerous. All make large clumps over time, with many bulbs in a clump, but, R always has smaller bulbs.

The growth habit of these two groups is very different. A & E are more upright or ridgid and R is more spreading or lax (quite lazy foilage as is goes dormant) Aethopica does not go dormant here in Tampa, Rehmannii has a very short season of 3-4 months for me. I have not tried eliottiama here, but, I think I will next year. I will have to check and see if Bourgondien has any left and maybe get some in for 2006.

I like the foilage of A & E, it looks tropical to me. R is less remarkable, looks like a long leaf hosta stretching for light.

None of the callas flower as well here as they do on the West Coast. These are S. African plants, they have a cooler climate. Those photos you see are taken in CA or a greenhouse with heating and cooling. If you see someones photos of callas remember they are taken on day when they have the most flowers, usually.

The oven just signaled it is up to 400, time to put the pizza in.

Here is an unrelated to the topic photo...