What does the Calla Lily look like
This article introduces the appearance of the Calla Lily and its characteristics, offering an introduction to the green plant flowers. Let's get to know more about it.
Calla Lily (Scientific name: Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng.), is a perennial, robust herbaceous plant belonging to the Monocotyledons, Araceae, and Calla Lily genus. It has corms and easily forms tufted plants through tillering. The leaves are basally arranged with sheaths at the lower part; the leaf blades are thick, green, cordate-sagittate or sagittate, with acuminate, acuminate or caudate tips, and cordate or hastate bases. It prefers loose, fertile, humus-rich clayey soil. [1]
The Calla Lily is toxic, containing a large amount of herbal calcium crystals and alkaloids, and ingestion can cause symptoms of poisoning such as drowsiness. This species is listed as a non-toxic plant in the Chinese Plant Atlas Database, with its toxicity being that the corm, spathe, and spadix are toxic. Chewing a small piece of corm can cause swelling of the tongue and throat. Calla Lily can be used medicinally for its heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. For treating burns, an appropriate amount of fresh Calla Lily corms, mashed and applied externally. To prevent tetanus, mash the Calla Lily corms and apply externally to the wound. Calla Lily is toxic and should not be taken internally.
The Calla Lily is commonly used as a bridal bouquet flower in Western countries and is also the national flower of Ethiopia.
The Calla Lily is a perennial, robust herb with corms. The leaves are basally arranged, with petioles 0.4-1 (-1.5) meters long, lower parts with sheaths; the leaf blades are thick, green, cordate-sagittate or sagittate, with acuminate, acuminate or caudate tips, cordate or hastate bases, entire, 15-45 cm long, 10-25 cm wide, without spots, with the posterior lobes 6-7 cm long. The peduncle is 40-50 cm long and smooth.
The Calla Lily spathe is 10-25 cm long, with a short tube, yellow; the lamina is slightly recurved, acuminate or acuminate, with a conical tip, bright white, sometimes greenish. The spadix is cylindrical, 6-9 cm long, 4-7 mm thick, yellow: the female spadix is 1-2.5 cm long; the male spadix is 5-6.5 cm long. The ovary is 3-5-locular, gradually narrowing into the style, mostly surrounded by 3 false stamens. The berry is short-ovate, light yellow, 1-1.2 cm in diameter, with a persistent style; the seeds are obovoid spherical, 3 mm in diameter.
The Calla Lily is distributed in Beijing, Jiangsu, Fujian, Taiwan, Sichuan, Yunnan, and the Qinling region of China for ornamental purposes. It is native to the northeastern and southern parts of Africa. It prefers a warm, humid, and sunny environment and is not cold or drought-tolerant. The optimal growth temperature is 15-25°C, with night temperatures not below 13°C. If the temperature exceeds 25°C or falls below 5°C, it will enter a dormant state. Calla Lily loves water, and the soil should be kept moist during the growing season. During the hot summer, when the corms enter a dormant state, watering should be controlled. The soil should be fertile, with good water retention, a clay loam soil, with a pH value between 6.0 and 6.5.
The Calla Lily propagates mainly through corm division. After the plant enters the dormant period, the small corms around the main corm are peeled off and planted separately. It can also be propagated by sowing, with the seeds sown in pots after maturity. The optimal germination temperature is around 20°C. Division: When the old leaves gradually wither and new leaves grow in May to June after flowering, or in mid-September when changing pots, the small corms around the mother plant are peeled off and planted in pots. Generally, flowers bloom 3 months after planting. Sowing: Indoor pot sowing is mainly used, with the optimal germination temperature being 18-24°C, germination occurs 15-20 days after sowing, and the seedlings need to be cultivated for 3-4 years before flowering.
Ornamental
The Calla Lily is elegant and graceful, with white flower buds resembling horse hooves, green leaves, and white spots, making it a plant with both beautiful flowers and leaves. The pure white Calla Lily is a symbol of simplicity, purity, and honesty. It has become one of the important cut flower types in the international flower market.
It is commonly used for making bouquets, baskets, wreaths, and vase arrangements, with excellent decorative effects. Dwarf and small-flowered varieties are suitable for placing on steps, window sills, balconies, and mirrors, full of exotic charm, especially lively and cute. Calla Lilies can be planted in gardens, especially in clusters near ponds or rockeries, and are very beautiful when flowering.
Plant Culture
Flower Language: Love, holiness and piety, eternity, elegance, nobility, dignity, hope, purity, pure and clean friendship, elegant temperament, the wind is at its best, pure love.
White Calla Lily: Graceful and beautiful, its flower language is "loyal and unswerving, eternal unity."
Suitability and Taboos: Suitable for bridal bouquets, small white varieties are suitable for young friends, send in even numbers, not odd.
This article shares the full content of the appearance and characteristics of the Calla Lily, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!