I have been trying to get information on calla lilies without success. Mine do well outside in dappled sun and damp soil - but they always die over the winter indoors. I've tried keeping them damp, keeping them dry, nothing works. I hope someone has the answer to this mystery.

The PurpleEggplant

I live in zone 9 (Sacramento) and grow all my calla lilies outside year round. I have Crystal Blush and a pink one, don't remember the name (Zantedeschia rehmanii), an orange with spotted leaves (Z. albomaculata I think) and a ton of the common white (Z. aethiopica). They are planted in full sun as well as partial shade and do fine in either location. I always water with a soaker hose so my plants reveive deep soakings rather than light sprinklings. In high summer the calla beds are soaked 1-2x per week. My understanding is that calla lilies like at least moderate to average amounts of water during their growing season and less (or at least good drainage) during their dormant season. I think aethiopica can grow in a bog or pond as well but I've never tried it. For aethiopica the dormant season is hot summer but mine will stay green with enough water and may also die back temporarily with frost. For the other types I mentioned the dormant season is cool winter and they don't pop up until late spring. All my callas receive adequate drainage and they reward me every year by growing larger and larger. A good plant, similar to callas, for winter interest is Arum italicum.

Calla lilies will come back here if they are in well draining soil and heavily mulched. I would not think they would be hardy in z6.

Hi,
I have been growing a flame Calla for the past 6 years or so. The tubers are not hardy here so every fall I dig them up and store in a cool spot in some clean (hamster cage liner) wood chips. I pull them out in April and plant in pots. I keep them indoors until the risk of frost has past... usually around mid-late May and then put them outside in full sun. The suns intensity up here in the north is not quite as strong as further south so up here they should be in a full sun situation. If in a very hot-intense sun climate callas should be out of direct mid-day sun. Maybe dappled shade but never full shade. They like a well drained soil, but should be kept moist. I have read somewhere that they are "pond" plants but have had problems with mine if kept too wet. It may be certain species that are meant for ponds or really wet areas.
My Callas usually bloom in June and can keep blooming for a month or so. (I've never really kept track of blooming time though, this is just from memory). Last year was a wierd year for my callas. they bloomed very early and not for very long. I'm hoping that the coming year will be better for them.
Hope this helps.

Z. aethiopica is the only one to put in water, at that, the soil-line and water-line should be about even. (Roots need Oxygen) I have never heard of putting any other kind in a pond, and I'm sure that since these need a dry period, they would surely rot.

Simply: Only put your Calla in water if it has large, unspotted, heart-shaped green leaves.

When a Calla "dies" after blooming, the bulb is still alive.

Please search this forum and you will find many answers to the basic questions of "Calla Culture."

James

I have the white with spotted leaf and yellow with spotted leaf. They are one of the easiest things to keep in the basement for winter.
Purpleeggplant- try them as houseplants if the storage thing isn't working. You can even get them to bloom inside- mine are right now. I started them in pots 1/8/5 and I have two in bloom for weeks now. The rest I started a month later for mother's day sales.

Good luck, Karen

I was given a calla lily houseplant last spring. It hasn't bloomed for some time. How long does it need to rest? Does it need water? light? When should it start blooming again? Help!!