What is the difference between calla lily and peace lily? A quick guide to telling them apart
Calla lily, also known as cigu flower, water taro, wild taro, arrowhead flower, calla lily, flower taro and so on, is a bulbous flower of the Araceae family. Peace lily, also known as bract-leaf taro, sail plant, Spathiphyllum floribundum, silver bract taro and so on, is a plant of the genus Spathiphyllum in the Araceae family. Calla lily and peace lily do look somewhat similar in appearance, but the two are indeed different plants. Let us take a look at their differences below!
Calla lily and peace lily belong to different families and genera
1. Calla lily: Calla lily is a perennial robust herbaceous plant in the plant kingdom, Angiosperms, Monocots, Alismatales, Araceae, tribe Zantedeschieae, genus Zantedeschia. It is native to Egypt and southern Africa and is now widely cultivated around the world.
2. Peace lily: Peace lily is a perennial herbaceous plant in the plant kingdom, Seed plants, Angiosperms subphylum, Monocots, Alismatales, Araceae, genus Spathiphyllum. It is native to Colombia and grows in tropical rainforests.
Differences in botanical characteristics between calla lily and peace lily
1. Calla lily: Calla lily has tubers, leaves basal, leaf blades relatively thick, green, heart-shaped arrow-shaped or arrow-shaped, spathe 10-25 cm long, tube short, yellow, spadix cylindrical, ovary 3-5 locular, gradually narrowed into a style, mostly surrounded by 3 staminodes, berry short ovoid, pale yellow, seeds obovoid-globose.
2. Peace lily: Peace lily has a short rhizome, sometimes the stem thickens and becomes woody, erect, prostrate or climbing on other objects by small roots, a few floating on water, often with milky sap, leaves long elliptic-lanceolate, tapering at both ends, veins obvious, petiole long, base sheathing, usually basal, when stem-borne then alternate, arranged in 2 rows or spirally, shapes various, scape erect, taller than the leaf cluster, spathe erect upward, slightly rolled, white, spadix cylindrical, white.
Differences in habits between calla lily and peace lily
1. Calla lily: Calla lily prefers a warm, moist and sunny environment, is not tolerant of cold or drought, the optimum growth temperature is 15-25°C, the nighttime temperature should not be lower than 13°C; if the temperature is higher than 25°C or lower than 5°C, it is forced into dormancy. It likes water, and the soil should be fertile, clay loam with good water retention, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
2. Peace lily: Peace lily prefers a warm, moist, semi-shaded environment, avoids strong direct sunlight, is not tolerant of cold, the optimum growth temperature is 20-28°C, and the overwintering temperature is above 10°C.
The flower meanings of calla lily and peace lily are different
1. Calla lily: The flower meaning of calla lily is universal love, holy devotion, eternity, elegance, nobility, dignity, hope, purity, pure friendship, elegant temperament, success, and pure and flawless love. The flower meaning also varies according to color.
2. Peace lily: The flower meaning of peace lily is smooth sailing, with connotations of beauty, purity, virtue, passion, friendship, confidence, and pride. It resembles a crane holding its head high, graceful and slim, white and flawless, giving a sense of purity, calm, peace and tranquility, and is called the flower of innocence.