cala lillies

are they a houseplant or can you grow them outdoors?

They can be grown outdoors in your zone http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Zantedeschia&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

thanks--do you grow them? got 2 chocolate ones on sale at lowes and wondered if i should pot them or put into ground--i guess i will put into ground

Lovely as they are, no, I don't grow them. In my zone they would need to be dug for winter and that just isn't going to happen. :)

i don't blame you--i dug up all my caladium bulbs and it was a lot of work-then stored them in the garage and kept them seperated etc--planted them and not a one came up!

Linda,

I have some and I leave them in the ground overwinter. They should return for you.

Caladiums are very sensitive to cold and even if exposedto a freeze for a short time might be permamently damaged. Is your garage reasonably warm? I planted them outside and didn't have the energy to dig them up. One tiny plant made it through the winter and sprouted the next spring but fizzled out/

not a heated garage --could have been the problem--the bulbs were very light weight and sort of softer and not like the origional time i planted them--i'm glad to know the lillies will come back--your climate must be the same as dallas area--by the way--i think these were meant for easter gifts and so i got them for a dollar each and they have a pretty chocolate brown "flower" but do you think the bloom time is done for this year or do they just keep blooming ? it seems they are a little floppy--do you stake yours?--full sun for texas area? lots of water for our hot summers?

Linda, OK, yours appear to have been "forced" for Easter - mine are just now sending up leaves and I believe they'll normally bloom in May; will have to pull my pictures. They can send up several stalks depending on the size of the root you planted and can bloom for a month or more, but they will not bloom the entire summer. They need some sun but I try to plant mine with an eastern exposure or at least dappled shade in the afternoon. They should not be floppy, especially with tems this cool, and the plants themselves can tolerate a decent amount of heat. Still, there are different varieties of callas and I normally plant them as bare-root bulbs/rhizomes in the springtime. They should return and bloom 2nd year for you. Yes, I would make sure they have decent amounts of water especially when the heat turns up.

thanks ---i will try the estern exposure too!