Calla home

Calla plant (Calla) is a herbaceous perennial from the Aroid family. The flower is also called zantedeschia, calla or arum. The homeland of this beautiful plant is South Africa, where calla grows among the swamps. Large leaves with long petioles reach one and a half meters, the ear-shaped inflorescence is framed with a white blanket. In hot, dry weather, the flowers exude a light fruity aroma.

Callas are flowers of brides and refined sophistication, which delight with long flowering and unpretentious disposition. Not everyone knows that calla lilies can be grown not only at home, like an indoor flower, but also on a personal plot, in yards. Of course, in the open field, she requires increased attention, but for such a rare beauty it is forgivable to her.

Calla is considered a family charm and a symbol of marital happiness. The habitual white calla is prized for its unusual bud shape, which consists of a wide crowded petal and a large cob that looks out in the middle. The exotic appearance of the flower leaves no one indifferent, so many decide to start a culture on their windowsill.

The history of the origin of the plant is full of mysterious legends and superstitions. For example, Europeans have a custom of bringing calla lilies to funerals, so they are often called the flowers of death behind their backs. However, to believe or not in an outdated belief is everyone's business. For most gardeners, unpretentious, long-flowering and multi-colored calla lilies cause only delight and admiration.

Calla lilies description

The basis of the plant is made up of naked flower stalks and large basal leaf plates. Leaves may vary in shape. The discrepancy in the external structure depends on the belonging of the species. At the peak of the growing season, arrow-shaped plates are painted in bright natural tones: emerald, malachite, mustard or dark green. The foliage of many hybrid varieties contains white specks. The height of adult bushes is approximately 1-2.5 m.

Calla lilies bloom almost at any time of the year and are found everywhere. The petal from which the calyx is born is only one. It resembles a multi-colored or snow-white bedspread, twisted into a tube up to 20 cm in diameter. The tubular bedspread is accompanied by a yellow ear located in the center, which blooms with small flowers. During flowering, calla lilies exude a subtle vanilla aroma around.

Brief rules for growing homemade calla lilies

The table shows brief rules for caring for calla lilies at home.

Calla lily care at home

Growing calla lilies at home is a snap if you follow simple care guidelines. Even an inexperienced grower can cope with growing calla lilies in a pot, but it is important to clearly delineate the conditions of detention.

Caring for home calla lilies, which enters the active growing season, and caring for them during the rest period are significantly different. To prevent decay and death of the flower, as well as keep the freshness of the buds longer, it is necessary to adhere to the general rules for the cultivation of tuberous plants.

Lighting

Calla lilies prefer well-lit places and even partial shade, so the grower does not need to worry about this. In apartments, it is more advisable to place the pot on the windowsills directed to the west or east. On the south side, the window is shaded with a transparent curtain, or the pot is moved to the curbstone to protect it from the sun. However, the calculation does not take into account the north side, where daylight hours are much shorter. In summer, the plant can be taken outside, while protecting it from the scorching sun.

Temperature

The optimum temperature for indoor calla lilies is 20-25 degrees. If the thermometer drops to 8 degrees, the flower is unlikely to die, but the flowering will be disturbed. When growing variegated varieties, a different temperature regime is observed:

• 18-20 degrees is a suitable temperature for actively growing foliage and releasing arrows;
• 25-27 degrees - the temperature for the formation and opening of buds.

Faded plants are kept warm for a week. After that, the flower can be prepared for wintering. Calla lilies of all varieties are afraid of drafts, so it is better to keep the pots by closed windows.

Watering

In spring and summer, when the bushes grow foliage and form buds, the soil around the plant is abundantly moistened. The next watering is carried out on top of a well-dried soil layer. Rhizome varieties are watered in the lower way - through the pallet, or in the traditional way - moistening the soil from above to the root. Cultivars grown from tubers do not react well to moisture. They are provided with watering through the pallet.

The volume of introduced water is determined by the condition of the soil. If the top layer is dry, then about 0.5 liters of water is consumed per adult bush. In sunny weather, water at least 2 times a week.

Water for irrigation is defended for at least a day, and the water taken from the tap is filtered. The softer the water, the better. Zantedeschia prefers to grow in a damp room. In dry climates, plants appear lethargic and dull. White calla lilies especially need moisture.

Humidity level

To create acceptable moisture conditions for calla lilies, several methods are used:

• a container with water is installed near the pot;
• the flowerpot is placed on a tray, where wet pebbles are poured;
• spray around the air;
• or you can purchase a special humidifier.

The plant is regularly wiped from dust with a damp sponge, since wide leaves are an excellent dust collector. Varieties with solid white buds are sprayed with a spray bottle.

Capacity selection

Homemade calla lilies are planted in pots with a wall diameter of up to 20 cm. Compact flowerpots 10 cm wide are suitable for children. The height of the container for Ethiopian species should be at least 60 cm so that the rhizome has free space for growth.

The soil

You can buy homemade calla lilies from a specialty store or make yourself. The optimal soil for growing calla lilies in a pot is a mixture of peat, garden soil, sand and humus (or rotted manure). The listed components are taken in equal amounts.

Top dressing

The intensity of application and the type of dressing depends on the phase in which the calla is located. For example, during the growing season, the soil is enriched with nitrogen fertilizers, which increase the growth of deciduous mass. At the time of bud formation, fertilization with phosphorus-potassium compounds is started. Thanks to them, the duration of flowering increases.

Complementary foods are introduced gradually, about 20-25 days after planting. Nitrogen mixtures are fed every two weeks. Potassium-phosphorus granules are added three times a month.

Ethiopian calla lilies prefer nutritional mixes sold at orchid growers. Bulbous calla lilies are provided with complementary foods only in the first trimester from the beginning of the growing season.

Transfer

Transplanting bulbous and rhizome calla lilies is significantly different. Ethiopian species are transplanted in a specific way. Shrubs are usually transplanted in July. In the new flowerpot, the roots are placed at the same level as in the old pot. Moreover, only one bush takes root in one container. The rhizome is covered with soil so that the roots are covered with a double layer. The transplant is pumped by watering.

Tuberous calla lilies are transferred to a new place in a different way. The planting material is dried under the sun for several days. It is allowed to plant 2-3 bulbs in one flowerpot. The substrate should cover the bulbs by 1 cm. The transplanted flowers are watered for the 2nd or 3rd week from the moment of planting. The transplant is best done in March.

Dormant period

Domestic calla has a pronounced rest period. Therefore, the attitude to care should be fundamentally the opposite, so that the plant, as it should, rested and gain strength. If you spoil this period with top dressing or abundant watering, you can disrupt the further development of buds and the duration of flowering of the bushes.

In multicolored calla lilies (or Mix), dormancy occurs in late autumn. Only in spring do they wake up from hibernation. To understand that a flower is preparing for a vacation is quite simple:

• petals change color from color to solid green;
• leaf blades droop;
• the plant loses its decorative value.

After waiting for the final drying of the leaves, the calla lilies are cut at the root along with the arrows. Tubers extracted from the ground are shaken off the substrate and placed in paper bags with sawdust. Thus, the tubers are successfully stored until spring. It is important that the room temperature stabilizes to 5 degrees. There is no need to water and fertilize the future planting material.

Rhizome varieties are dormant during the summer months when yellowing of the leaves is observed. The flowerpots are moved outside, away from the sun and rain. In summer, calla lilies can be planted right under the trees. Fresh air will only do them good. However, with the arrival of the autumn cold weather, they are transplanted back into the flowerpot.

For wintering, calla lilies are rearranged in heated rooms, where the temperature indicators are kept within the range of 14-18 degrees. In order for the bulb to survive in winter and bloom profusely in summer, the material is carefully stored and protected from moisture and mold.

Bloom

In indoor conditions, calla flowers bloom twice a year, the time of appearance of flowers is May and October. The flowers are suitable for cutting. During the flowering period, the plant needs good watering.After flowering, calla lilies need to be watered once a week. Some growers use the following technology: from the beginning of August, watering is stopped, resuming it after a month and a half.

The successful flowering of calla lilies at home depends on the following conditions:

• Proper care during the growing season.
• Full rest of the plant in the autumn-winter period.
• Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers during the ripening and opening of the buds.
• Timely transplant.
• The length of daylight hours (poor lighting leads to yellowing of the foliage).

Breeding methods for home calla lilies

Calla lilies in a pot are propagated using tubers, offspring and seeds. The first two methods are most often used by flower growers.

Tuber propagation

These underground organs are present in the colored varieties. To begin with, the daughter bulbs are separated from the common root system. Children choose a thickness of no more than 0.5 cm.You will not have to apply special efforts, the bulbs easily bounce off. The slices are sprinkled with crushed coal so as not to provoke infection.

The tuber breeding method is the most convenient, since a lot of children accumulate during the year.

Small young bulbs are grown in a peat-sandy substrate. The boxes or pots of tubers are kept in a warm room. Children with a diameter of 1.5 to 2 cm can be planted in the ground without prior preparation.

Growing from seeds

The seed propagation method is laborious and does not provide one hundred percent germination. This method is popular with breeders who grow calla lilies for commercial purposes.

Consider the procedure for seed propagation:

1. Before sowing, the material is soaked for 6 hours in a special growth stimulator.
2. The soaked seeds are poured onto a damp cloth and stored on the windowsill until they hatch. Do not forget to wet the napkin again with water.
3. Seeds with sprouts are sown in a mixture of peat and sand to a depth of no more than 1 cm. They will stay here until they get stronger.
4. To prevent crops from rotting, they are watered through a pallet.

Reproduction using shoots

Shoot propagation is suitable for white calla lilies. The rhizome of these flowers contains many small offspring. Some have time to acquire their own sprouts. The offspring are carefully cut off with a clean sharpened knife, disinfecting the cut area. They are quite independent, quickly adapt to a new place and are unpretentious in care.

The offspring, on which the growth point and roots are preserved, are separated from the main bush. To cut off even one offspring, the flower is completely freed from all children, otherwise the plant will acquire flowers.

Diseases and pests

Among the common diseases of domestic calla lilies are:

• Gray rot - yellowish painful spots on foliage and flowers, which, under the influence of moisture, turn brown and become overgrown with gray fluffy weeds.
• Bacterial rot - when first the rotting of the ground organs of the flower occurs, and then the infection passes to the rhizome.
• Late blight - manifests itself in the form of a sharp yellowing of leaves and pedicels. Changing color, the bush dries up soon.
• Anthracosis is another disease associated with the appearance of brown streaks on the surface of the leaves. Over time, the foci enlarge, and the plates crack and die off.

Bushes affected by bacterial rot are almost resistant to treatment. Flowers are dug up and destroyed outside the site. It is possible to stop infection with gray rot, late blight and anthracosis at an early stage.

From insects, calla lilies attract aphids and spider mites. Aphids are easy to spot by the sticky spots on the leaves. The spider mite leaves a barely noticeable cobweb on the ground parts. To save the plant from insects, insecticidal preparations are used with which leaves and peduncles are treated.

Why calla lilies don't bloom

Mistakes when growing home calla lilies during active growth lead to the fact that the bushes bloom poorly, and the buds look unattractive.

Flowering takes a lot of energy from calla lilies.To replenish the supply of nutrients, the bushes are fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Complementary feeding should be regular.

White calla lilies will not bloom if the offspring are cut off. Colored varieties are less capricious, but the accumulation of children can lead to the lack of buds. Also remember about the obligatory annual transplant. The soil, devoid of nutrients, inhibits the budding process.

Adequate lighting is considered a guarantee of abundant flowering. Of course, the plant will not die in partial shade, but it will not bloom luxuriantly either.

Frequently asked questions about growing calla lilies in a pot

• Can tubers be left overwintering in poorly shaded areas? The level of lighting during storage of the bulbs does not in any way affect the germination or safety of the planting material. Some growers wrap the tubers with paper and store them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator or cellar.
• Will indoor calla lilies freeze if you take the pot outside in the summer? Fresh air will not harm rhizome varieties, and tuberous species can be safely transplanted into the garden.
• Why do calla lilies break petioles with leaves? Sometimes the petioles cannot withstand heavy leaves and break. This can also happen when the plant does not have enough light, and it stretches, or when there is insufficient watering. To reduce damage, a frame is installed around the bush or the trunk is tied up.

Types and varieties of calla lilies with photos and names

There are several types of calla lilies: Ethiopian, Elliot and Remann. Interspecific hybrids also fall under the common denominator. However, in the old botanical literature, until recently, only 2 species were described: Ethiopian and marsh. Recently, scientists have decided to combine all flowering calla lilies into one genus. The aforementioned flower names are bred specifically for sale in many countries and then exported for cut bouquets. In order to simplify terminology in the flower industry, calla lilies have been combined under one name.

Calla Ethiopian (Calla aethiopica)

An equally well-known variety, which differs in the type of root system. If the rest of the family has bulbs (tubers) as the main underground organ, then Ethiopian calla grows from the rhizome. The root surrounds a large number of offspring. This rather large species reaches a meter height. In cool climates, it is at rest for a long time.

The culture is moisture-loving, decorated with arrow-shaped leaves, often resembling a heart. The texture of the leaf is dense and fleshy. The length of the largest plates is up to 0.5 m, and the width is up to 0.25 m. This species is characterized by a bright green color. In some varieties, the foliage is not monochromatic, but with white blotches.

White funnel-shaped flowers sit on an erect, even peduncle. The petals expand at the ends and hide the yellowish cob inside.

Common varieties of the Ethiopian species include:

• Green goddess - a flower with an exotic two-tone veil. The main tone of the bud is white, but closer to the stem it becomes light green.
• Childsiana - a low bush, which is characterized by prolonged flowering, provided that the care instructions are followed.

Ethiopian calla lilies can be seen in bloom twice a year. For the first time, the plant opens its buds in May. They keep on arrows until mid-end of June. Re-flowering occurs in September and lasts until the first cold weather in October.

Calla elliottiana

Representatives of the species include large tuberous calla lilies with wide cordate or oval leaves. The surface of the plates is strewn with small white specks, which are striking against the background of dark green greenery.

The inner part of the petal, like the corn-on-the-cob, is lemon-colored, while the outer part is green. As a result of mass hybridization, many different colored Elliot varieties are on sale:

• Vermeer - a flower decorated with serrated wavy leaves and an unusual funnel.A purple spot is clearly visible inside the white bedspread.
• Black-eyed beauty - differs in cream flowers with a dark purple center.
• Yellow corner - a traditional inhabitant of garden plots.

Calla rehmannii

Dwarf bulbous flowers are called Remanna. Their stems barely reach half a meter. This species has been used to create variegated pink, lilac, purple and even black hybrid varieties.

The following varieties are of particular interest:

• The evening - cultivated dark purple flowers.
• Indian summer - has funnels with a pomegranate shade.
• Chameleon - a peach-golden hybrid.

Calla Mix

On the pages of modern floriculture encyclopedias, there are varieties such as Calla lilies Mix - massive bushes with colorful colorful flowers, sitting on clubs or alpine slides. However, the name "Mix" refers only to a mixture of different varieties that are grown in the same flowerpot. Only hybrids of Remann or Elliot with underground organs in the form of tubers are suitable for such experiments. Rhizome plants do not like to coexist with anyone and share a pot.