I'm counting on you, Californians

I am hot to trot for Calla lily Hercules. I need a reliable source. Have heard too many horror stories of people paying big bucks for Hercules and getting something else.

pls help me find this plant, pleeeeeeazzze. thanks.

I tried to look this up in the PF but couldn't find it. Could you please describe what it looks like.

Donna

I finally found what it looks like. lol Here is a link to someone selling it on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-spotted-Calla-Lily-Hercules-7-feet-tall-Rare_W0QQitemZ4446802169QQcategoryZ20534QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



This message was edited Mar 14, 2006 5:32 PM

Perhaps this place? I don't know them as a company but they seem to be really clear that this is the real Hercules and not something else.
http://www.kartuz.com/pc/80012/7RFPC1/Zantedeschia+aethiopica+Hercules.html

Gosh Vossner, is it worthy of a gaud queen?? I need a pic. If you are desperate for it, then so am I.

Here's your photo, Kell
http://www.tropic.ca/U-Z/Zantedeschia%20aethiopica%20Hercules.htm

THANKS Doss!! Quite a sight. But alas, just the regular whites here grow so big and they are weeds in my yard. They reseed all over.

So Vossner, you are alone on this quest!! Though I sure will keep an eye out fo ryou.

I agree Kell - mine grow almost 4 feet tall - and woe to those who start them. They never leave and they take over whether it be sun or shade! Perhaps they are better behaved in Texas Vossner?

I"m gradually putting them under an oak tree and although they don't get water and it's totally shady under there they are doing just fine.

I have two spotted leaf ones ( not taller than 2 ft) I never planted that just showed up in my yard last year, one is growing out of my compost bin (obviously it's not heating up in there because I have all kinds of things sprouting out of it, might as well call it a large pot now!)

They will grow almost anywhere which is the good thing and the bad thing about them. Give them some water and watch them grow!

Mine were all gone when I had a drip system installed. Then I went back to sprinklers and they are everywhere! I guess the lesson is that you don't toss them on the compost heap unless you plan on growing them for a living.

I truly love my California buds!!!!!

thank you for all your help. I just ck'ed w/ Kartuz and will be ordering the Hercules plus other stuff (as soon as I go over their website).

Kell, I noticed your experience with them wasn't good. I will cross my fingers and hope for the best. Will, of course, post here and in the watchdog. I guess I want the Hercules to follow in the tradition that everything is big in Texas. Big hair, big car, big cala. I simply must...The pic that Doss posted is an excellent example. I just want it 'cause its an exageration, just like many things in my beloved Texas.

Calif Sue, funny about your compost pile --a big pot--hee hee

Thank you again for your help, I am so lucky to know ya

vossner,

I have a lot of them in my yard and enjoy them very much - that is the standard variety that grow to 3 feet here. Don't worry about them getting out of hand - Although one time it did take me about 3 years of hacking one out to get it to stop - but this was a place with a lot of moisture. And the small fancy ones are hard to grow here I've found. Callas will grow under walnut trees which give them a high-five in my book!

So what else are you ordering from the wonderful assortment at Kartuz? I don't know them but they carry some wonderful things.

I was going to post a calla photo but my editor has just changed and I can't remember how to do it. I'll be back.

Word to the wise -
My brother-law- has them in border around front of house . They get so big you can't see out the window .
In the winter I "prune " them. The warning ? Don't use a chain saw !! It gums it up . A hedge trimmer works if you go slow . DON'T put in compost pile , you get a gu-ee mess unless you and a lot of peat . [ it stinks too ]

a monstrousity, lol. The particular spot I have in mind needs this, exactly. Tony, thanks for the notes about trimming. Hubby would be upset if I gummed up his chain saw.

Finally figured out how to post photos from the new program. Here's an established batch of regular 3 foot callas in my yard. I'm so glad that they are 'back in style'

This message was edited Mar 26, 2006 1:48 PM

Doss, that is sooooo good looking.

well, I bought 1 zant. Hercules and 1 zant. Giant.
Hercules has solid green leaves and enormous flower
Giant has green leaves spotted with white and flowers not as big.

again, thanks for your help.

You are so welcome. I hope that you really enjoy them. I do love the spotted leaves although I don't have any of them. Bringing new callas to my garden is like bringing coals to Newcastle. I've just bought some new cannas though and I'm afraid that I'm going to have the same issues with them. Ah, the price we pay for beauty!

Vossner,

For Christmas, I got one of the spotted-leafed ones that they sell on E-Bay, and my DH paid $51 for it at auction. It arrived with two leaves that had been creased, but otherwise in perfect condition. I put it into a large pot, and have grown it in a sunny window as shown in the photo below. Sorry that the flower had faded by the time I took this picture, but you can see that it was large and lovely for a 'seedling'. It continues to grow and get larger by the day. One of the online nurseries says that this is not the true Hercules, because of the spots. Personally, I don't care what it is called, I absolutely love it.

I have also bought some of the seeds from the same guy, and about half of them have turned into lovely little plants, that also get larger by the day. The seller of these says that they do not go dormant like the standard calla lilies do. Once I have enough of them to spare, I may consider putting them outside, but will grow them as spectacular house plants until then.

Sheral

p.s. I live right outside of Austin Texas.

sheral, that it awsome. Haven't gotten my order yet but now I am really looking forward to it.