Differences between calla lily, peace lily, and Alocasia and how to care for them

These three green plants should not be unfamiliar to everyone, right? Since they are not unfamiliar, do you know what differences there are between them? And how do you identify them? Is it by leaf shape or flowers, or something else? What are the differences between calla lily, peace lily, and Alocasia, and how can they be grown well?

I. Calla lily

Calla lily, also known as water taro, is a bulbous herbaceous green plant. Its rhizome is relatively thick and fleshy, and its petiole is also not small. The leaf blade is shaped like a heart, with a pointed tip at the end of the leaf; the texture of the leaf blade is somewhat thicker and coarser than that of Alocasia.

The flowering stems of the plant rise above the leaves. The flowers are white and are composed of many fleshy small florets. Their shape really resembles a horse's hoof, and the flower colors are diverse, including white, red, purple, yellow, spotted, and more. Its biggest difference from the peace lily is the flower shape. Even if the leaves look alike, once it blooms, you can tell them apart.

II. Peace lily

Peace lily, also called white sail, is a perennial herbaceous plant; its rhizome is not long, and its leaves are long, oval-lanceolate, with both ends relatively pointed, and the veins are fairly obvious. The petioles are long and strip-shaped. The flowers stand upright and rise straight from the leaf cluster, like a Buddha's flame. The flower color is white and cylindrical, and this is the biggest difference from the two green plants above and below. The former has the same flower color but a different flower shape; the latter has the same flower shape but a different flower color. Therefore, to distinguish the three differences, the easiest thing to recognize is the flower.

III. Alocasia

Alocasia can be seen in many homes. Some flower lovers also call it xiutiancao. It is a large evergreen plant and can be grown in soil or in water; its rhizome is climbing, and the main rhizome is an upright aboveground stem. It has many leaves, and the leaf veins come in two colors, purple and green, arranged in a spiral. The middle part of the petiole also turns white or brown. After maturity, it produces a Buddha's-flame-shaped spathe flower, mainly green, which turns white when it withers, and it also grows red berries. This is also a characteristic that the previous two do not have.

Besides distinguishing the three by flower color, flower shape, and fruit pulp, there is also a very practical method, and that is water. Spray water on the leaf surface of the plant. If you see water droplets dripping down along the edge of the leaf, then you can know this is Alocasia. If not, then it is one of the previous two.

After reading the above introduction to the appearance of the three plants, as well as the comparison and explanation between them, are you still troubled by distinguishing the three? Or do you also know other differences besides these? Why not share them with everyone, how about it?