Calla Lily: The Elegant Non-Native Bloomer for Your Garden
If you’ve ever admired those sleek, trumpet-shaped flowers at a wedding or in a fancy floral arrangement, you’ve likely encountered the calla lily (Zantedeschia). With their sophisticated silhouette and pristine blooms, these perennial beauties have captured gardeners’ hearts worldwide – even though they’re not actually native to North America.
What Exactly Is a Calla Lily?
Despite its common name, the calla lily isn’t a true lily at all! Zantedeschia is actually a herbaceous perennial forb that grows from underground rhizomes. These plants lack significant woody tissue and instead produce their striking flowers and foliage from ground level each growing season.
Originally hailing from southern and eastern Africa, calla lilies have made themselves quite at home in several U.S. locations. You’ll find them growing wild (sometimes a little too enthusiastically) in California, Hawaii, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico, where they’ve naturalized after being introduced.
The Appeal: Why Gardeners Love Calla Lilies
It’s easy to see why these plants have such a devoted following:
- Stunning flowers: Those iconic funnel-shaped blooms come in white, yellow, pink, and deep purple, each with a prominent golden spadix center
- Long-lasting cut flowers: Perfect for bouquets and arrangements
- Architectural interest: Bold, arrow-shaped leaves provide structure even when not in bloom
- Versatile growing options: Happy in gardens, containers, or even as houseplants
Garden Design and Landscape Uses
Calla lilies shine in several garden settings. They’re naturals for water gardens and bog areas, where their love of moisture is perfectly satisfied. In formal garden designs, they provide elegant focal points, while their bold foliage makes excellent contrast in mixed borders. Container gardeners particularly appreciate their adaptability – you can easily move them around to create seasonal displays or bring them indoors during cold weather.
Growing Conditions and Care
These African natives prefer conditions that mimic their homeland’s climate:
- Light: Partial shade to full sun (morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal in hot climates)
- Soil: Moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter
- Water: Consistent moisture during the growing season, but allow dormancy in winter
- Hardiness: Generally hardy in USDA zones 8-10
Planting and Care Tips
Ready to try growing calla lilies? Here’s how to set them up for success:
- Plant rhizomes in spring after the last frost, about 2-4 inches deep
- Space them 12-18 inches apart to allow for spread
- Provide regular water during the growing season, but reduce watering as foliage dies back
- In zones colder than 8, lift and store rhizomes indoors over winter
- Divide clumps every 3-4 years to maintain vigor
- Feed monthly during growing season with balanced fertilizer
A Word About Wildlife and Pollinators
While calla lilies are beautiful, they don’t offer much in the way of benefits to local wildlife. Their flowers are primarily adapted for beetle pollination rather than supporting native bees, butterflies, or other local pollinators that have evolved alongside North American plants.
Consider Native Alternatives
If you’re interested in supporting local ecosystems while still enjoying elegant blooms, consider these native alternatives that offer similar garden appeal:
- Wild ginger (Asarum canadense): Provides bold foliage for shady spots
- Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus): Offers dramatic early spring blooms in wet areas
- Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum): Delivers unique architectural flowers and supports native wildlife
The Bottom Line
Calla lilies are undeniably gorgeous and can make stunning additions to the right garden settings. While they’re not native and won’t support local wildlife like indigenous plants do, they’re not considered problematically invasive either. If you choose to grow them, enjoy their elegant beauty while also making room in your garden for native species that will benefit local pollinators and wildlife. After all, the best gardens often blend beauty with ecological responsibility!
