Calla Lily Questions

Discussion in 'Araceae' started by GreenLeaf, Dec 23, 2005.

  1. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    I got a huge calla lily and plan to grow it in a houseplant (instead of outdoors--I've lots of other plants planned for outside). How do calla lilies do indoors? Do they stay evergreen? I love the flowers, but the spotted leaves are quite pretty too. Just wondering if they stay evergreen (if kept inside, of course) all year long. I don't really like plants losing their leaves and going dormant--*seems* like they're dying! lol, anyways, just wondering.

    Also, about how long does a single calla lily flower last? So I know whether my plant has fresh flowers or not...

    Thanks for any help!
     
  2. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    I tried doing research online. The more I look the more confused I become because I'm getting such conflicting results. One website says:
    Another website says
    I'm SO confused. Do they keep their leaves or not??? Thanks for any help--I'm really relying on you all...
     
  3. Dee M.

    Dee M. Active Member 10 Years

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    I think it depends on which variety you are talking about. The white one [Aethiopica] is evergreen in the mild San Francisco Bay area, but the colored ones do like to go dormant sometimes. I have not grown them inside personally so I don't know for sure. They will need high humidity in any case or you will probably get spider mites, watch for them. Here is a link to someone who has grown them indoors.
    http://www.yourgarden.com/qa/eng/special-calla.htm
     
  4. GreenLeaf

    GreenLeaf Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi, thanks for the info. Mine is yellow with spotted arrow shaped leaves. Not sure which species/hybrid it is...
     
  5. Dee M.

    Dee M. Active Member 10 Years

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    All I know for sure is that the yellow flowered calla lilies at the nursery I work at start to go dormant about late summer, after they finish flowering, know matter what we do.
     
  6. scicciarella

    scicciarella Member

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    callas can be grown as indoor plants but you will need lots of direct sun and do not over water once a week good draining soil with a draining pot it will need to be fertilized and the flower will last for two to three weeks it is better to use a larger pot and plant three or four with different colors, they will bloom for about two to three months per year and then rest it is important to water a little more when in bloom I have had my pot for three years you may want to take it apart every couple of years and seperate the babies, if you have a few more tubers you may want to rotate them so you have flowers year round, when the foliage turns yellow it usually means not enough water or to much which will rot the bulbs.my sister rotates hers by taking them out after blooming and pounders them with mildew resistant and stores them in a cool dark place for about three months and just replants them again for more blooms she has about twelve so three sets of four and it works great when one is done the other is about to bloom.
     
  7. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Up the road they grow a yellow spekcled one commercially. For the cut flower trade.

    They seem to have a dormant period. I have the white, a pinky colourd one, a yellow and they all have a dormant period. I have not thought of them as indoor plants but they are great backdrop plants in the garden particularly the white one.

    Liz
     
  8. scicciarella

    scicciarella Member

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    they are amazing plants that give beautifull foliage and the boot gorgeous flowers so it is a wonderfull plant to grow in a bed or a back drop I have collected over 80 different ones and as new one are introduced I purchase them so add to the collection my husband had no idea when he asked me to purchase one since he like the foliage that we would end up with enough to make a bed allong the drive way which in 150 feet long and every summer we plant a single row all the way to the door well this year we need to make it twice as wide since we have to many for a single row hahahah get the shovel dear.
     
  9. winddragon

    winddragon Member

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    I recently bought a purple flowered calla lily. It has put out new blooms but they are white!! It has also put out new purple flowers. It looks like they are coming from the same bulb. Any explanations???
     

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