Can I plant a potted Calla Lily outside? We address this question in this article.
Calla lily, also known as Zantedeschia aethiopica is native to South Africa.
Although called a lily, it is actually a member of the family Araceae, the same as anthurium and philodendron.
Calla lilies are tropical plants that should be planted in the ground after the last frost.
They’re commonly grown as houseplants or for their showy spring flowers. Their foliage has a tropical look, and they make great container plants.
The distinctive flower spathes can be white or yellow, pink, red or orange. They grow best in partial shade. In warm climates, they can be grown outside year-round.
The best way to get them to bloom is to keep them outside all year round.
If you want to enjoy their blooms indoors, you can cut off a stem, place it in a vase of water and then bring it inside.
Callas grow from rhizomes and produce large green or variegated leaves that are usually several feet tall. They will bloom all summer if planted in full sun and given plenty of water.
The information in this article applies to growing calla lilies outdoors.
Can I plant a potted Calla lily outside?
To some degree, calla lilies are outdoor plants. They will flower in full sunlight, but their foliage is best kept indoors or in partial shade.
Many gardeners treat these plants as annuals, planting them outdoors in spring and taking them inside before the first frost.
Calla lilies are not exactly frost-hardy; they live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 10 – just north of the South’s warmest areas – so if you live where it freezes, you should treat your calla lily as annuals and replant them each year.
Calla lilies are cold hardy and can be grown outdoors year-round, but you may keep them for several years as houseplants before they become too large.
Over time, their leaves turn yellow and die back, making the plants look leggy.
Letting them go to seed will rejuvenate the plant, but you can also trim it back to its main stalk in late winter to promote new growth.
In frost-free areas, though, you can keep your calla outside all year long, as long as you provide them with sufficient light.
Before planting your calla lily outdoors, make sure to acclimate it to its new environment.
A calla will probably grow faster and be more likely to flower if it lives outdoors year-round.
But if you decide to move it outside in spring after wintering it indoors, slowly expose the potted plant to outdoor conditions over a period of a week or so.
Once the plant has acclimated to the sun and wind, transplant it.
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Here’s what you need to know to grow calla lilies outside, plus how to care for them so they’ll bloom beautifully in the garden.
Growing Calla Lilies Outside
Calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) are a popular choice for container gardens.
They can be grown as perennials in zones 8 through 10, only blooming several times during the summer months and then dying back naturally.
In colder zones, it is best to treat calla lilies as annuals, planted in late summer and blooming during the summer before dying back.
The easiest way to grow calla lilies outside is to start them from seed indoors, usually 3 to 6 weeks before the last frost date for your area.
Sow seeds directly into the garden once soil temperatures reach about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, after the last frost date for your area, or when daytime temperatures reach at least 70 F.
Space the plants 12 inches apart in full sun and well-drained soil.
Calla lily care includes applying an organic mulch around the plants in fall, which helps retain moisture and feed the bulbs during winter.
Apply a layer of manure or compost around each plant when they’re dormant to help keep them healthy
Growing Calla Lilies from Seed
It is easiest to start calla lily seeds indoors about six weeks before your last frost date, although you can also direct sow them outdoors after the last frost has passed.
Sow the seeds into individual pots filled with a light, fast-draining potting mix until they’re about 1/4 inch below the surface of the soil.
Keep the pots in bright light and water until the seedlings are about 4 inches tall.
When it’s time to transplant them into their permanent
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Growing Calla lily in a pot
Growing a calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) in a pot is similar to growing it in the ground. Calla lilies grow well in partial shade.
If you don’t have a site that provides this amount of shade, then place the pot by a north-facing window or under an overhang that blocks out most of the sunlight.
Calla lilies should be planted in loose, fibrous potting soil and it’s important that the plants are not over-watered.
Keep the soil moist but never soggy.
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Tips for planting Calla Lily outside
Can I plant a potted calla lily outside? Yes and here are some tips:
To grow calla lily plants, purchase bulbs in the late fall or early winter.
Keep them cool and dormant in a basement, garage or other cool place until spring.
Treat your calla lilies as you would any other bulb or tuber. Plant them in a rich, well-draining soil at about the same depth they were growing previously.
Plant them so that the point where the bulb bulges out is just covered by soil.
Mulch around the base of the plant to keep the soil moist.
Wait for spring to bloom your calla lilies outside.
When you see new growth forming, cut it back to about 6 inches above ground level.
This will force your plant to put all its energy into root development and getting a large bulb ready for blooming.
Keep your calla lilies watered during the growing season, and fertilize them once or twice a month with a balanced flowering fertilizer for bulbs and tubers.
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Climate and proper weather conditions for growing Calla lily outdoor
The calla lily is a herbaceous perennial plant native to the marshes of southern and eastern Africa.
Most species of calla lily are tropical plants that prefer warm temperatures with a minimum temperature of about 50 degrees F. (10 degrees C.).
Calla lilies can be grown outdoors in containers during the summer and then brought indoors before the first frost in colder climates.
They can also be grown indoors all year round in sunny locations that are kept at least 55 degrees F (13 degrees C.).
Growing calla lilies outside requires a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day and provides a balanced soil medium with good drainage.
Choose an area where the soil is fertile and moist but not soggy.
Calla lilies need plenty of water, but they should not sit in water or have their feet sitting in standing water.
Because they are sensitive to cold temperatures, calla lilies are generally planted after danger of frost has passed.
The best time to plant calla lilies is from March through early May before the weather gets hot.
Diseases that may affect Calla Lily
Calla lilies are susceptible to fungal diseases that cause white spots on the leaves and brown spots on the flowers.
If your plant’s leaves are yellowing or dropping off without signs of disease, it may be drought-stressed.
Water your calla lily more often to help it recover.
Calla lilies occasionally suffer from powdery mildew, but treating them before signs of the disease appear prevents it from becoming a problem.
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Takeaway:
Calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) are easy to grow and have an elegant beauty that complements just about any landscape.
They’re not perennials, but their ornamental value makes them worth the time and effort to get them established for a season or two.
With good care and a little bit of love, the calla lily will be the beautiful centerpiece of any garden or yard.
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