I have had some very large ones for years (I think they are Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White Giant'). I overwinter them in their pots indoors, without letting them go dormant, and they do fine.
My question: The foliage has gotten very large, and keeps breaking off in the wind. They are blooming now. Once they finish blooming, can I whack off all the foliage and let them start again, or do I need to stake the foliage and try to maintain it until the fall, when I will let them go dormant so they can start fresh next year?
Calla lilies
I whack mine back on a regular basis (couple times a year) when they get a bit overgrown.
Thanks, ecrane! That gives me hope! That's exactly what I want to do because they are toppling over, but I didn't want to kill them off!
If they're anywhere near as vigorous there as they are here, you couldn't kill them if you tried!
Mm, careful there! I'd leave at least some foliage on them when they finish blooming, until the leaves get looking ratty. They need to regenerate a new bulb/rhizome, and that's what the leaves do. You can cut off leaves that flop over or break, or any that are yellowing. But I'd leave at least some on there for a month or two.
Mine go dormant in the summer here, and then I take off all the foliage. They come back faithfully in the fall when the nights cool off, and bloom all winter.
Ok, I'll inspect mine to see what is salvageable. So many of the leaves have broken....