 Cut
Flower
of the month
calla
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BOTANICAL NAME
Zantedeschia
spp.
(zan-te-DES-kee-a)
COMMON NAMES
Calla, Miniature
calla, Calla lily, Arum, Arum lily, Pig lily, Trumpet lily
DESCRIPTION
These elegant
flowers are made up of a long, funnel-shaped spathe that
surrounds a yellow, fingerlike spadix. Glossy green leaves are
often shaped like arrowheads and sometimes speckled with white.
Zantedeschias grow from tubers and are perennials
 COLORS
Callas’ hues
include white, yellow, orange, pink, red, lavender, purple,
black, green and bicolors. They tend to color differently under
varied growing conditions, so two flowers of the same variety
may have slightly different coloration within a bunch or from
planting to planting. Retailers should think in terms of a
“color range” when ordering.
VASE LIFE
Callas last from
four to eight days.
AVAILABILITY
Callas are
available year-round from domestic and foreign sources.
SIZES
Standard
callas have a head size up to about 6 inches and stem lengths
ranging from 20 to 48 inches. Miniature callas’ head sizes range
from about 3 to 5 inches and stem lengths range from 8 to 32
inches.
VASE-LIFE EXTENDERS
PROCESSING
Carefully remove callas from packaging to avoid bruising the
flowers. Cut at least 1 inch from the bottoms of the stems—avoid
removing all of the white stem end if possible—and place the
flowers immediately into a clean container partially filled with
properly mixed flower-food solution. Callas do not benefit from
the sugar in flower-food solutions, but they do benefit from the
biocide. Leaving part of the white stem ends, the portion that
was underground, helps with water uptake and vase life while
reducing the chances of stem splitting or curling.
REFRIGERATION
Store
callas at 33 F to 35 F.
ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY
Callas are not ethylene sensitive. Contrary to popular belief,
callas do not produce significant quantities of ethylene and can
be stored safely with other flowers, according to the Society
of American Florists’ (SAF) Flower & Plant Care
manual.
WATER Check the nutrient
solution level daily, and replenish as needed. Recut the stems
every two or three days.
QUALITY
CHECKLIST
WHEN TO BUY Purchase flowers at
the stage of openness desired for sale or use. If cut too tight,
flowers may not open properly, if at all. Buy callas close to
the time they are needed.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Blooms should be
free of spots, blemishes or splits, and the stems should not be
soft or slimy. Note that flowers shipped dry may arrive a little
limp, but they will revive after being recut and hydrated.
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quick fixes |
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• If callas’ stems are curved and need to be straightened,
wrap them
loosely in newspaper, like tulips, and store them upright in a tall
bucket, vase or container.
•
Often, the stem ends of callas will split and curl. To
minimize this,
wrap the stems near their ends with waterproof tape. To make
splitting and curling less likely, don’t cut off all of the white portion
at
the end of the stems.
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FUN FACTS
WHAT'S IN A NAME
The genus is
named for Italian botanist Francesco Zantedeschi, who wrote
about Italian plants around 1825. The word “calla” is Greek for
“beautiful.”
FAMILY
Callas are
members of the Araceae (Arum) family. Relatives
include Anthurium, Caladium, Dieffenbachia,
peace lily (Spathiphyllum), Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema),
arrowhead (Syngonium/Nephthytis) and elephant's ear (Alocasia).
HOME SWEET HOME
Callas are native
to South Africa.
MISTAKEN MONIKERS
Although often
called “calla lilies,” these flowers (Zantedeschia/ Araceae)
are not related to lilies (Lilium/ Liliaceae).
Zantedeschias also are not the same as the actual genus
Calla, which consists of a single species of perennial that
grows in boggy areas and is commonly known as the water arum or
bog arum.
Reach “Cut Flower of the Month” writer Amy Bauer at abauer@superfloralretailing.com.
Photos
courtesy of CallaCo, a Division of Golden State Bulb Growers.
Some information provided by:
Botanica,
by R.G. Turner Jr. and Ernie Wasson
CallaCo, a Division of Golden State Bulb Growers,
www.callaco.com
Chain of
Life Network®,
www.chainoflifenetwork.org
Flower
Council of Holland,
www.flowercouncil.org
Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center,
www.bulb.com
The
Society of American Florists’ (SAF) Flower & Plant Care manual
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