How to grow calla lilies? Detailed guide to growing methods and tips
The name calla lily is surely familiar to everyone. Its white flowers and bright green round leaves are, I believe, the reason many people like it. So how do you grow calla lilies? And what methods are there for growing them? Let me tell you below.
Calla lily growing methods and tips, part one:
Calla lilies like a warm climate and cannot tolerate cold; the optimal growing temperature is around 20°C. They like a humid environment and cannot tolerate drought. In winter they need plenty of light. When light is insufficient, they produce few flowers; they tolerate slight shade. They like loose, fertile, humus-rich sandy soil. Their dormancy period varies from region to region. When cultivated in China's Yangtze River basin and in the north, they should be moved into a greenhouse in winter, bloom in spring, and go dormant in summer due to high temperature and drought; whereas in the subtropical regions south of the Yangtze River, because the climate is mild and humid, they do not go dormant all year round.
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Calla lily growing methods and tips, part two:
During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist at all times, and usually sprinkle water on the leaves and the ground to increase air humidity. Apply liquid fertilizer once every half month as a top dressing; when fertilizing, never let the fertilizer water flow into the leaf stalks, as this can cause rot. If there are too many leaves during the growing period, a few of the outer old leaves can be removed to help the flower stalks emerge.
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Calla lily growing methods and tips, part three:
Before flowering, apply fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus to control stem and leaf growth, promote flower bud differentiation, and ensure flower quality. February to May is the peak flowering period. After the weather turns hot in late May, the plant begins to turn yellow and wither; watering should be gradually stopped, with moderate shading, to prevent waterlogging. Potted plants should be moved to a ventilated, semi-shaded spot and the pot laid on its side to avoid accumulating rainwater, keeping things dry and encouraging dormancy.
How to grow calla lilies: our recommended growing methods and tips for calla lilies
The name calla lily is surely familiar to everyone. Its white flowers and bright green round leaves are, I believe, the reason many people like it. So how do you grow calla lilies? And what methods are there for growing them? Let me tell you below.
Calla lily growing methods and tips, part one:
Calla lilies like a warm climate and cannot tolerate cold; the optimal growing temperature is around 20°C. They like a humid environment and cannot tolerate drought. In winter they need plenty of light. When light is insufficient, they produce few flowers; they tolerate slight shade. They like loose, fertile, humus-rich sandy soil. Their dormancy period varies from region to region. When cultivated in China's Yangtze River basin and in the north, they should be moved into a greenhouse in winter, bloom in spring, and go dormant in summer due to high temperature and drought; whereas in the subtropical regions south of the Yangtze River, because the climate is mild and humid, they do not go dormant all year round.
Calla lily growing methods and tips, part two:
During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist at all times, and usually sprinkle water on the leaves and the ground to increase air humidity. Apply liquid fertilizer once every half month as a top dressing; when fertilizing, never let the fertilizer water flow into the leaf stalks, as this can cause rot. If there are too many leaves during the growing period, a few of the outer old leaves can be removed to help the flower stalks emerge.
Calla lily growing methods and tips, part three:
Before flowering, apply fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus to control stem and leaf growth, promote flower bud differentiation, and ensure flower quality. February to May is the peak flowering period. After the weather turns hot in late May, the plant begins to turn yellow and wither; watering should be gradually stopped, with moderate shading, to prevent waterlogging. Potted plants should be moved to a ventilated, semi-shaded spot and the pot laid on its side to avoid accumulating rainwater, keeping things dry and encouraging dormancy.
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How to grow potted calla lilies: growing methods and precautions for calla lilies
Using plants to decorate the home has become a popular home fashion trend. Green plants not only bring vitality to home life but can also effectively reduce environmental pollution. Potted calla lilies are one of the green home plants many people choose. Now let's take a look with me at how to grow potted calla lilies and what the growing methods and precautions for calla lilies are.
Introduction to calla lilies
1. It is a bulbous flower of the Araceae family. The calla lily is one of the newly emerging flowers of recent years; it belongs to the genus Zantedeschia, is a perennial herbaceous plant, and has fat, fleshy tubers. The leaves are basal with long stalks, and the leaf stalk is generally twice as long as the leaf. The tip is sharply pointed, the base is truncate, the margin is entire, and the color is bright green. The spathe is white, large, and shaped like a horse's hoof, which is why it is called the calla lily. The spadix is bright yellow and stands upright in the center of the spathe, with male flowers borne on the upper part and female flowers on the lower part. The natural flowering period runs from November until June of the following year, lasting 6 to 7 months in total, and it happens to fall right in the peak flower-using season.
2. It has three main cultivated varieties. First, the white-stemmed calla lily: the tuber is relatively small and growth is relatively slow. But it flowers early, bears many flowers, has white flower stalks, and its spathe is large and round; second, the red-stemmed calla lily: the base of the flower stalk is slightly tinged with red, it flowers a little later than the white-stemmed calla lily, and its spathe is relatively round; third, the green-stemmed calla lily: the tuber is thick and large, growth is vigorous, and flowering is late. The flower stalk is thick and strong, slightly triangular. The spathe has a pointed tip that curls backward, is yellow-white, and is smaller in size than the previous two. It has flower meanings such as eternity, holy devotion, and pure love, which make it appear especially noble.
3. Its living environment. Calla lilies like a warm climate and cannot tolerate cold; the optimal growing temperature is around 20°C. They like a humid environment and cannot tolerate drought. In winter they need plenty of light; when light is insufficient they bear few flowers, and they tolerate slight shade. They like loose, fertile, humus-rich sandy loam. Their dormancy period varies with the region. When cultivated in China's Yangtze River basin and in the north, they should be moved into a greenhouse in winter, bloom in winter and spring, and go dormant in summer due to high temperature and drought; whereas in subtropical regions where winters are not cold and summers are not dry and hot, they do not go dormant all year round. It is a very easy-to-grow plant and flower.
How to grow potted calla lilies
1. Understand the growth habits of calla lilies
They like a warm climate and cannot tolerate cold or high temperatures; the optimal growing temperature is around 20°C, and at 0°C the rhizome will freeze and die. In winter they need plenty of sunlight; when light is insufficient they bear few flowers, and they tolerate slight shade. In summer, when the sunlight is too intense and scorching, provide appropriate shading. They like moisture; even with a little standing water, growth is not much affected, but they cannot tolerate drought. They like loose, fertile, humus-rich clay loam.
2. Propagation methods for calla lilies
Bulb propagation of calla lilies is mainly by dividing the offsets. After the plant enters dormancy, peel off the small bulbs around the tuber and plant them separately. They can also be propagated by sowing; sow the seeds in pots as soon as they mature. The optimal germination temperature is around 20°C.
3. How to grow calla lilies
1. Choosing the pot and soil
For the pot, choose a shallow one; do not use a tall cylindrical pot. For the growing soil, use sandy loam as the main component, mix in 1/3 garden soil and 1/3 leaf mold, then add 1/5 organic fertilizer. Because its roots grow on the upper part of the bulb, the bottom layer of the potting soil should be lined with permeable, breathable cinders or coarse sand.
2. Potting up
Wait until the tubers sprout new leaves, then choose fat, robust tubers and pot them up; after October, place them in a greenhouse for care, and they can bloom around the Chinese New Year. But avoid poor ventilation and overly high room temperature.
3. Fertilizing tips for calla lilies
During growth, either a lack of fertilizer or excessive fertilization can cause yellow leaves, so be careful to apply a base fertilizer (horseshoe pieces are best). Potted plants have limited nutrients, so apply light fertilizer frequently to continually replenish the nutrients in the potting soil.
4. Calla lilies' water needs
There is a saying that calla lilies "cannot be watered to death," because they like a warm, humid environment and cannot tolerate drought, so the potting soil must be kept moist and must not lack water. If the environment is dry, spray water on the ground to maintain a humid micro-environment. During growth and flowering, water thoroughly. Keep the potting soil moist, but after flowering reduce the amount of watering to encourage dormancy.
5. Calla lilies' light needs
Pay attention to light during the flowering period. Calla lilies "like long light but not strong light," and especially dread direct scorching sun in summer. So place them in a spot with plenty of light; in summer they can be moved farther from the window. If calla lilies get insufficient light during the flowering period, they will only produce buds without flowering, or the buds will gradually turn green and shrivel. In spring and autumn, no shading is needed.
Precautions for growing calla lilies
1. Pruning: calla lilies are perennial herbaceous plants and can bloom multiple times a year. Regularly cutting off old leaves can encourage them to bloom multiple times;
2. Calla lilies' dislike of "smoke": calla lilies are relatively sensitive to "smoke." Stove smoke and cigarette smoke will both cause calla lilies to develop yellow leaves, drop flowers, and grow poorly.;
3. Watering: provide enough water (do not plant too shallowly; water again when the soil dries out);
4. Drainage: the soil's drainage performance should be good to prevent overly wet conditions from occurring;
5. Temperature: avoid excessively high temperatures in the greenhouse, especially when relative humidity is high;
6. Prevent damage to plants and tubers: prevent wind damage to the plants, take care not to let herbicides affect plant growth, and handle carefully during harvest and processing;
7. Prevent fungal diseases and pests: for example, damage caused by Pythium or Rhizoctonia may provide an entry point for Erwinia infection.
How to grow calla lilies in the ground
For field-grown calla lilies, choose fertile, moist soil, apply plenty of base fertilizer, make beds 1 m wide, and plant disease-free tubers at a row spacing of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 30 cm to 40 cm. The planting time is determined according to the requirements for flowers coming onto the market; generally April to June is better. After planting, to ensure good growth, use shade netting to provide 50% to 60% shading from late June to late August. In summer, when the soil temperature is too high, irrigate thoroughly. Because water quality and irrigation amount greatly affect growth after planting, pay special attention: a low EC value and pH 6.5 to pH 7.0 are preferable. Top dressing should mainly be nitrogen fertilizer; generally apply liquid fertilizer once about every 15 days, and stop fertilizing during the flowering period. Although day length has no effect on flower bud differentiation and development, under long-term shading its vegetative growth and reproductive growth will fall out of balance, so the shade netting should be removed by early September at the latest. In October, begin covering the greenhouse with film, keep the winter temperature above 15C, and provide plenty of light, so that it can bloom in winter to meet the market.
The uses of potted calla lilies
An elegant and noble appearance is the hallmark of calla lilies, but do not think it has only a beautiful flower form; it also has many uses.
1. Because of its long flowering period, the calla lily is a good potted plant for decorating the living room and study, and is also an ideal material for cut flowers, bouquets, and flower baskets. It is often used as a cut flower and is a gift flower for relatives and friends. Especially in tropical and subtropical regions, it is an excellent material for constructing flower beds. Today, the calla lily has established its position in the international flower market as one of the important cut flower varieties.
2. Many people know that the flower of the calla lily is toxic, containing large amounts of calcium oxalate crystals and alkaloids; if eaten by mistake, it will cause symptoms of poisoning such as drowsiness. Not just the flower, it can be said that the whole plant is toxic. It can be enjoyed ornamentally but must not be eaten, otherwise it will cause vomiting and other conditions. However, although it is toxic, that does not mean it has no medicinal uses. After boiling, calla lilies can be fed to wild boars, and the boiled leaves can treat mild headaches, but they must be used under a doctor's guidance. In addition, calla lilies also have the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying; mashing an appropriate amount of fresh calla lily tubers and applying them externally can also treat burns. Mashing calla lily tubers and applying them externally can also prevent tetanus, but remember that they must not be taken internally. Now, through scientific emission spectroscopy and atomic absorption methods, it has also been determined that calla lilies contain 12 trace elements essential to the human body, among which 7 elements, including Fe, I, Mn, Zn, Si, Li, and Ca, are present in relatively high amounts. So calla lilies are rich in trace elements essential to the human body, showing that they have high medicinal value. However, how to apply this in real life still requires further research.
If we harness the power of science and technology, we can discover even more of the medicinal value contained in calla lilies. Facts have proven that every plant has its uses, and at times the calla lily can also turn its drawbacks into advantages and bring benefits to people's lives.