Calla Lily Indoor Plant : Complete Guide And Care Tips

The Calla Lily Indoor Plant: A Complete Guide and Care Tips

Gardening is an art that requires patience, dedication, and love for nature.

If you’re someone who loves to bring the outdoors inside, then indoor plants are a great way to do so.

One plant that stands out when it comes to indoor gardening is the calla lily.

With its beautiful foliage and unique shape, it’s easy to see why this plant is so popular among gardeners.

What Is A Calla Lily?

A calla lily (Zantedeschia) is a flowering plant native to South Africa.

It’s part of the Araceae family and is known for its trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in white or various shades of pink, red or yellow.

How To Take Care Of Your Calla Lily?

• Light: The calla lily thrives in indirect bright light but can tolerate some shade as well.
• Watering: These plants need regular watering but should not sit in standing water as it can damage their roots.

  Allow the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again.

• Fertilization: Use a balanced fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season (spring-summer).
• Potting Soil & Drainage:The soil mixture must be well-draining since these plants don’t like wet feet! Choose a pot with good drainage holes at the bottom so excess water can escape easily.

Dormancy Periods In Winter Months

If you live in colder regions where winter temperatures drop below 50℉(10℃), your plant may enter dormancy periods during the winter months.

This means the plant will stop growing and may even seem like it’s dead.

However, if you don’t see any signs of rot or diseases, this is normal behavior for a calla lily during the dormant period.

Propagation Tips

If you’re looking to propagate your calla lily plants, it can be done through rhizome division or by seeds.

• Rhizome Division: When your plant has grown large enough, carefully remove it from its pot and divide the roots using a sharp knife or scissors into smaller sections with at least one leaf stem and root system in each division.

  Then repot them individually into well-draining soil mixtures.

• Seeds: Collect ripe seeds from already flowering plants (these are usually found on the spadix once they have matured), sow them directly in moist potting soil mixture and cover lightly with a thin layer of vermiculite.

  Keep them warm (70-75°F/21-24°C) until germination occurs around two weeks later.

Pests & Diseases

The most common pests that affect calla lilies are spider mites and thrips.

Overwatering can lead to root rot which could attract fungal diseases such as Pythium Root Rot or Rhizoctonia Root Rot.

• Spider Mites:The best way to control spider mites is by regularly misting your plants every day using water sprays made from neem oil extracts diluted with water 1:5 ratio (oil:water).
• Rhizoctonia Root Rot:This disease causes wilting leaves despite adequate watering due to fungal infections on roots making them incapable of absorbing nutrients properly.

  Use a fungicide containing thiophanate-methyl to treat this disease.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for indoor plant that’s beautiful and unique, the calla lily is a great choice.

With proper care and attention, your calla lily will thrive for years to come.

Remember to provide it with indirect bright light, well-draining soil mixture with adequate moisture levels, regular fertilization every two weeks during growing seasons (spring-summer), and protect it from common pests and diseases such as spider mites or Rhizoctonia Root Rot.