As long as they live next to sunny windows, calla lilies make great houseplants. Use a commercial potting mix when planting them in containers for growing inside, then keep the soil uniformly moist until the plants bloom. Allow plants to dry out slightly after flowering and then resume watering and fertilize with an all-purpose fertilizer to spur another round of blossoms. Choose the perfect container for calla to live in in your house.
Great Garden Uses
Think of calla lilies as social plants; they need several other calla lilies nearby to put on a good show. Plant them in large groups of at least 5—more is even better. The bulb’s upright green foliage forms a perfect backdrop for the exquisite flowers. Plant a cluster of these flowers in a landscape bed alongside dahlias or black-eyed Susans for a colorful summer show. Or plant a long row of calla lilies to use as cut flowers that last a week or more in a vase. When designing a cutting garden, plant several different varieties for an explosion of summer color. Calla lilies are a favorite plant of pollinators, which is why you may want to grow them in patio containers. (Don’t worry about attracting Bambi to your house; these plants are deer-resistant.) Pair the plants with coleus and asparagus fern for a summer-long display of color and texture. Learn about one of calla’s favorite planting partners, black-eyed Susan.
New Innovations
Breeders have developed cultivars with longer bloom times. These plants send up new flower spikes for weeks, offering long-lasting floral beauty to gardens and interior rooms.
