Calla Lily blooming?

Hi all,

I just bought Captain Eskimo in bloom. What I want to know, is if it will continue to put out more blooms through out the summer or not. I did a little research, but it wasn't quite clear to me. Any help and info on this plant would be greatly appreciated.

Lacewing1

Most of my Calla Lilies put out blooms for about 4-6 weeks. The fresh bulbs/tubers can be planted at just about any time when the temperatures are well above freezing and blooms usually form within 6-8 weeks. Since I live in a frost free area they can be planted and left in the ground and they rebloom each year in the spring. Mine are blooming now which is typical for this climate. If you live in a climate with cold temperatures (below 32 in the winter) you would have to remove them from the pot in the fall and store them for replanting next spring.

Jon

Thank you, Jon. I guess I'll go ahead and keep it.

Lacewing

I buy callas (zantesdeschia) every year, because they seldom winter through in zone 6. Typically there are a few shoots for each eye. They usually bloom at staggered times, and the flower last a few weeks. The actual flower is on the inside and insignificant to the lovely colorful spathe. They do not sprout as early as lilies (probably because I have to replant each year). If they stay in the ground, the probably sprout a bit earlier. Min are just sprouting now.

Do you do you live in the US, and if so, what is your zone?

From what I've read they're only winter hardy from Zones 8-10, so they have to be lifted in cooler zones. Some of them are blooming now and some are a few weeks away from blooming. Here's a photo of a few of them in bloom this morning here in Ft Lauderdale. The varieties are :

"Flame" (Orange)
"Super Gem" (Purple)
"Red Alert" (Red)
"Picasso" (White With Purple Center)

Jon

How delicious. This is the firs year I've planted Picasso. I have never lifted them in the winder, because occasionally they come up from the prior year. I think I'll try lifting some this year.

I have a Calla Lily my husband purchased for me and the flowers are dying. I want to pot it and need some help.

All I can have are potted plants.
Does this need to be outside?
When the flowers die do I cut them off and where do I cut?
Will they bloom again?
Zone 8b

Any help will be appreciated.

36ladybug

My experience with bulbs: the bigger the container, the happier they are. However, I tend to crowd the containers. I put bulbs into inexpensive window boxes and mix lilies with callas, but I'm sure they would look lovely with just callas. Lilies always sprout much earlier than the callas. The Wmart window boxes come with a removable bottom that you need to force off with your fingers and a butter knife or screwdriver or a friend. Otherwise they cannot drain property and will promptly rot after one season. We use the window boxes with the bottom on for wetlands type plants or in the house. I think they were about $8 or so, and you can easily get five bulbs in them.

Here's the window box. The grey piece next to it is the bottom we pried off. (Now I automatically take off the bottoms.)

A Calla Lily appeared in my garden around 8 years ago. It had come in with a mail order plant and was a lovely white. After looking up the hardiness of Callas, and not wanting to have another plant that had to be dug before winter, I enjoyed the flowers and said goodbye to it in the fall. Come spring, there was the Calla again, and again I just enjoyed the flowers and said goodbye to it in the fall. The following spring there was the Calla once more, larger and stronger. By this time I realized the plant had found the right micro-climate in my zone 5b to exist, so I bought 5 more and planted them out. All returned the following spring and I was elated. I now enjoy a very large Calla bed, around 60 plants, and search the web for new ones each year. I also have found 3 seedlings. :) Moral of story: Experiment with a few small bulbs around your garden and you too may find the right spot to grow Callas. Suggestion: A bed in front of a brick wall facing South is a good place to try your bulbs. The sun warms the brick, the brick warms the soil.

Tussee

Oh, my Calla Lily has bloomed for the first time this year. I love it.

Nice red Calla Lily. Love the red ones and the real dark dark purple ones. That South facing wall up North is definitely a warmer spot. I see that at my parents house when the spring bulbs in that area are weeks ahead of the rest of them. Nothing wrong with trying something you like, even when it appears it may be slightly "out of your zone". Sometimes a little creativity can tip the scales in your favor.

Tusseemussee, great story.

I was a chicken, unlike you, so I have all my callas in pots. At the end of the season I start withholding water, trim the leaves after they yellow and then put them in my basement (perhaps 65 degrees) with absolutely no water. Since the lengthening days in April will cause them to break dormancy long before I can put them outdoors, I cover the pots with pot saucers. Even covered, they break dormancy in May, and at the end of My I uncover them, give them compost, watert and fertilizer, and put them outdoors.

Even with this treatment, they multiply, and some years I remove some from the pots with the most corms and start them in new pots. I started with 3 pots of callas - now I have 10 pots of at least six corms each! They have to be the easiest, most rewarding plants I have. I particularly like Crystal Blush. Since that one was $9 each when I bought 3 corms, it's really nice to have.

Tussee, I think I'm going to experiement with microclimates. What the heck - I must have between 60 and 70 plants! I should give it a shot. Thanks!

Took a couple Calla Lily photos today. This is "Cantor"

And this is "Captain Maori"