Calla is the most exquisite and beautiful flower from the Araceae family. Thanks to its variety of colors, the plant has become very popular for growing at home. South Africa is considered its homeland. In its natural habitat it grows along the banks of water bodies or in marshy areas. The plant gained popularity not only due to the unusual shape of the flower and large, wide leaves, but also because of its ease of care. Callas can be placed in the open ground at the dacha, shading them from the sun and covering them for the winter.
Description and characteristics of the flower
Calla is a greenhouse or wedding flower that, with careful care, will decorate any corner of the house. For home cultivation, snow-white or colored varieties are usually used. And it is called wedding because of its widespread use in making bouquets for brides.
The stem is tall, rich green. Depending on the variety, the flowers are white, pink, purple, burgundy, yellow or black.
Indoor callas are a low shrub with heart-shaped dark green leaves and tall peduncles, turning into a tubular single-petal inflorescence with a bright yellow cob inside. The sail-shaped petal gently covers the cob, making the flower look elegant and beautiful.
Lighting
Look how beautiful and well-groomed calla lilies are in the photo. Multi-colored specimens are especially pleasing to the eye. But if the flower does not have enough lighting, then it will not have such a pleasant and bright shade. At the same time, he does not like exposure to scorching sunlight. Therefore, the plant in the house should be on the windowsill, but slightly shaded.
The same is necessary for garden flowers. They cannot be grown in flower beds exposed to sunlight. You should not plant them in the shade either, since in this case the plant may not bloom at all, and the stems will grow, which will stretch towards the light. The place for planting calla lilies should be moderately lit. It is important to note that plants do well in partial shade.
Popular varieties and species for home growing
All callas are divided into two groups: tuberous and varieties with tree-like rhizomes.
Ethiopian calla is a tall plant; with good care it can grow up to 1 meter in height. It has a powerful tree-like rhizome, glossy dark olive leaves and tall peduncles with flowers of various colors. The color depends on the variety. The main difference of this species is the ability not to shed foliage during the dormant period. The most popular varieties:
- Amethyst. A tall variety, depending on conditions it grows up to 120 cm. The flower stalks are tall, dark purple in color with a delicate aroma of sea breeze. The variety is suitable for home interior decoration.
- Calla lilies Vermeer. A flower of unforgettable beauty, grows up to 70 cm. The bright golden ear is covered with a purple blanket with a snow-white edging. The variety is popular due to its beautiful flowering and decorative foliage. The leaf blade of the flower is dark green with white splashes.
Tuberous calla lilies Elliott and Remani. This group is short growing with narrow soft green leaves and a snow white to dark burgundy spathe. The most common types for home cultivation:
- Chameleon. The variety is medium-sized, odorless, grows up to 60 cm in height. The plant has soft green, heart-shaped foliage with white flecks, from which rises a flower stalk with a peach-colored flower. Flowering lasts for a long time - from June to September.
- Evening. A low shrub with thin leaves and a tall peduncle with satiny black and purple flowers.
- Indian summer. The variety has bright red flowers with a garnet hue.
- Black-eyed beauty. Lemon blanket with a creamy shade. It looks harmonious against the background of narrow soft olive foliage with a small splash.
All these varieties and species are easy to care for and suitable for growing at home. But in order for the plant to bloom and delight with its beauty for a long time, you need to make a little effort to create favorable conditions close to natural ones.
How to grow calla lilies at home
Calla is an unpretentious perennial flower that grows well both in open ground and at home. To achieve its flowering, it is necessary to surround the plant with care and love.
Location and lighting
For good growth and development, callas need a lot of bright, diffused light. The duration of daylight hours should not be less than 12 hours. In winter they are provided with additional artificial lighting. Because with a lack of light they lose their decorative effect:
- leaf petioles are elongated;
- flowering does not occur;
- the bract becomes discolored.
The best place for a flower is the western or eastern side. In the south, calla lilies may get leaf burns, and in the north they will grow, but if there is insufficient lighting, you may not be able to wait for flowering.
Watering and growing conditions
Each type of calla lilies requires its own temperature and humidity.
For callas with tree-like rhizomes, during the growing season the air temperature should be within 20 degrees. After flowering and during hibernation, it is reduced to 13 degrees. Such conditions must be maintained for two months. This will allow the plant to gain strength for further flowering.
It is also necessary to monitor air humidity. It should be at least 70%. You can spray the leaf plate regularly and periodically, especially in summer, give it a warm shower. In winter, to avoid hypothermia, it is better to install a humidifier or place a flowerpot with a flower on a tray with damp expanded clay or moss.
For tuberous callas, the optimal summer air temperature should be within 24 degrees; in winter it should be increased by 4–5 degrees. This is necessary for the ripening of tubers and the formation of flower buds. Tuberous callas are not susceptible to air humidity, so it is enough to wipe the leaf plate daily with a damp sponge. This procedure will protect the plant from diseases, increase humidity, and also give it a decorative appearance.
Proper watering is one of the main aspects when growing callas, since their growth, development and flowering depend on it.
Tuberous callas when watered are much different from callas with tree-like roots:
- Tuberous plants love moderate watering, which is carried out only after the top layer of soil has dried to a depth of 3–4 cm. To avoid rotting of the root system, excess water must be promptly removed from the pan. 2 months after flowering, watering is reduced to a minimum.
- Callas with a tree-like root system are watered regularly and abundantly, especially during the period of active growth. For good development and long flowering, the soil in the pot must be constantly moist. In winter, watering is reduced to once a week.
Transplantation and feeding
The flower is transplanted once every two years, after a period of dormancy. To do this, prepare nutritious soil, which includes turf and leaf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. Transplant the plant into a larger pot, at the bottom of which a layer of drainage is placed. The flower is placed in the center and carefully covered with prepared soil, making sure that no air cushion is formed. Next, it is watered abundantly and put away in a warm, shaded place for 2–3 days.
The root system should not be deeply buried and left close to the surface of the earth. To choose the planting depth, you need to multiply the diameter of the rhizome by three.
For long flowering and good growth, the plant needs regular feeding. They begin to add it after a period of rest. To do this, use nitrogen-containing fertilizers - once every 10 days to increase green mass. During the period of bud formation and flowering, callas are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. When applying them, you need to make sure that the fertilizer does not get on the leaves and flowers, as this can lead to the formation of stains and loss of decorativeness.
Features after flowering
Rhizomatous and tuberous calla lilies should be cared for differently. Thus, in a rhizomatous plant, a dormant period is observed in the summer with the onset of the hottest period. The plant first begins to grow more slowly, then stops altogether, and the leaves change their color to yellow. Watering should be reduced, and the flower should be transferred to the open air, placing it in a well-lit place, protected from precipitation. At the beginning of July, the plant should be replanted, removing all old shoots and leaves and replacing the soil with fresh soil. Place in a well-lit place, provide regular watering and fertilizing. This is what concerns indoor plants. Calla lilies grown in the garden are dug up in the autumn and, together with a soil ball, are stored in a cool and dry place for the whole winter.
When tuberous plants fade, their cover gradually becomes green and drooping. The leaves turn yellow and dry out. Calla lilies grown outdoors should be carefully dug up in the 3rd decade of September. Excess soil is removed from the tubers and placed in a cool (5 to 10 degrees) place for half a month. This will allow nutrients to move into the tuber from the above-ground part. Then you should remove the wilted leaves.
Reproduction at home
Callas can be propagated in three ways:
- seeds;
- shoots;
- tubers or dividing the bush.
Seed propagation at home is used extremely rarely, since this is a long and painstaking task. The germination rate of the seed is low and even experienced gardeners may not be able to achieve the long-awaited result.
For propagation by shoots, the strongest and healthiest cuttings are chosen. It is separated from the main stem, kept in a solution that stimulates root formation and planted in prepared nutrient soil. For quick rooting, a mini-greenhouse is made for the cuttings. The first signs of rooting are the appearance of new young leaves.
But most often vegetative propagation is used. Callas with a tree-like root system are propagated by dividing the rhizome. To do this, during the transplantation period, the plant is divided so that each division has 1–2 buds. Reproduction in this way is carried out once every 4 years, since the mother bush grows and forms many side shoots, which subsequently will not produce flower stalks.
Tuberous varieties propagate quite easily. To do this, small daughter tubers are separated from the mother tubers. The cut area is treated with brilliant green or charcoal. The prepared seed is buried in nutrient soil, watered and put away in a warm, bright place.
Selection of planting material
Tubers and rhizomes are purchased from flower shops in February before the beginning of the growing season, which begins in the second or third decade of March, or taken out after storage. What should they be:
- dense, elastic, without damage or signs of rotting;
- the diameter of the tuber is 6-7 cm or more - small ones produce few shoots.
After purchase, they are laid out in a cool, dry room and kept there until the beginning of the growing season, i.e. about two weeks. Before planting, soak for 2-3 hours in a pink solution of manganese and dry. Do the same with those taken out after storage.
Diseases of indoor calla lilies
Although the plant is immune to diseases, if not properly cared for it can be affected by bacterial and fungal infections.
Gray rot. The disease appears due to high humidity in the air and soil. It can be recognized by the white coating on the leaves. It is possible to get rid of it with the help of fungicides.
Anthracnose. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of black spots on the leaf blade. Without treatment, the leaves crack and dry out. You can get rid of it by timely removal of diseased foliage and spraying with fungicides.
Root rot. The disease appears when watering is improper, due to stagnant water. The disease causes the flower to wither and die. If root rot is detected in a timely manner, the plant must be transplanted into a new substrate and the irrigation adjusted.
Bacterial rot. A dangerous disease that leads to the death of the flower. If it is detected, the plant must be disposed of so that the disease does not spread to neighboring flowers.
Common mistakes gardeners make
Every gardener, when growing calla lilies, expects long-term flowering from it. But there are times when the plant does not bloom and its leaves turn yellow and dry.
Why doesn't calla lilies produce flower stalks?
Poor short flowering or its absence is associated with many factors:
- frequent rearrangement of the pot;
- too big a pot;
- poor lighting;
- non-compliance with the rest period;
- a large number of daughter bulbs;
- irregular fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Calla lilies' leaves turn yellow and dry out
Yellowing and drying of foliage occurs due to improper care. This may be due to the following points:
- improper watering;
- hypothermia of the soil;
- diseases and pests;
- low air humidity;
- lack of micronutrients.
Caring for calla lilies at home does not take much time and effort. By following simple growing rules, the plant will acquire healthy greenery and will bloom for a long period. Blooming calla lilies will become an indispensable addition to any interior, and when grown in open ground, garden calla lilies will harmoniously fit into a rock garden or flower garden.
