The Common Calla
In my search for low maintenance, hardy, showy, deer-proof plants for my garden, I was pleased to discover calla lilies. They are almost too common, and are unlikely to appeal to gardeners who prefer exotic, unusual shrubs and flowers. But they are totally reliable, and in early spring, beginning in January, put forth in abundance their almost tropical, long green leaves and pure white trumpet-like flowers. Calla lilies are a favorite in bouquets (a common bridal flower) because they are a long-lasting cut flower. Picturesque, they often appear in photographs and paintings, for example Diego Rivera’s famous painting of a peasant carrying a huge basket of calla lilies to market.
Native to South Africa, calla lilies (Zantedechia aethiopica) thrive so well in our West Marin climate that we have to take precautions not to let them naturalize into the wild. They can become invasive, particularly in boggy areas. So, knowing this, I keep my calla lilies confined to portions of my garden and I’m careful to transplant any new shoots to these specific areas.
I am rewarded by their vigorous growth each winter, as their large, shiny green leaves shoot up nicely, followed by stunning, large white blossoms on long stems. The common calla grows to about 3 feet. A line of calla lilies along a path or driveway is lovely each spring. I also like seeing them in small clumps mixed in with other flowering, deer resistant plants like foxgloves, Mexican orange (Choisya ternate), or ground morning glory (Convolvulus sabatius), a ground cover. In my garden, calla lilies hold their shape and look well until fall. If they receive sufficient water, they may remain evergreen all year. Standard, large white callas are happiest with regular watering but will survive, if not thrive, in dry soil.
My plants were originally part of a large clump, leftovers from the garden of the Inverness Library where I was a volunteer gardener. I brought a few home in a paper bag. Although local nurseries carry calla lily rhizomes (and you can order them off the web), you might find them in the gardens of your friends and neighbors. Since large clumps should be separated every 3 to 4 years, your neighbor may welcome your taking some extras. Plant them, in sun or partial shade, with the rhizome a few inches underground with the developing green shoots at the top. Be careful to mind their spread and keep them contained to your garden. Or, plant them in large pots for your deck or patio.
Calla lilies now come in numerous hybrids and different colors, although the colored varieties are smaller, to about 2 feet high. I have some beautiful, delicate pink hybrids, a gift from a friend (dividing his own), that bloom in summer rather than spring. Other colors include orange, red, yellow, purple, even black. A quick review of web sites brings up numerous florists and nurseries from whom you can order cut callas in all colors, as decoration for a large party or wedding, as well as the rhizomes.
For all the benefits calla lilies bring to the garden, one has to be cautious about their toxicity, which I recently learned about. No wonder the deer avoid them. Every part of the plant contains oxalic acid and is toxic. Further, the sap from cuttings will stain your clothes once they are washed (it is evidently not noticeable before laundering). Nothing’s perfect! Still, I admire the bright white of their elegant flowers on the gray days of winter and early spring, and am grateful for their proud, upright foliage that fills in the sparse corners of my garden.