Zantedeschia Aethiopica

Description:

The arum lily has blue green arrow shaped leaves that are sometimes white-speckled. The flowers are a white spathe that are funnel-shape with a dark purple marking at the base inside.

Other names:

Arum Lily, Calla Lily, Pig lily

Other Names

Arum Lily, Calla Lily, Pig lily

Plant Summary

Size:

50 – 80 cm (H)

Flowers:

October to April

Growth Rate:

Fast

Origin:

Maintenance

Watering Needs

Light Preference

Light Preference

Frost Sensitivity

Zantedeschia Aethiopica

care guide

Arum lilies like rich soil containing generous amounts of well-decomposed plant matter; and respond well to regular applications of compost, kraal manure or organic fertiliser.

Feed container grown arum lilies every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser.

Yellow, or dead leaves, are easily removed with a sharp upward tug.

Cut the leaves short when the first frost spell hits.

Do not cut the leaves before they’ve turned completely yellow because this is the time in which your arum lily is building up its nutrient reserves for the next blooming cycle.

Arum lilies flourish in rich, well-draining loamy soil.

You can grow Zantedeschia Aethiopica indoors and outdoors, if you observe a dormancy period of at least 2 months within the year by abstaining from watering your lily.

After blooming, reduce the watering until the leaves turn yellow
When the leaves have withered, stop watering completely
Slowly start watering your Zantedeschia Aethiopica 2 – 3 months later.

The arum lily flourishes close to a body of water, indicating how much water it needs (semi-aquatic).

When

November to December

Arum lilies will only start flowering in their third or fourth year.

How to encourage Zantedeschia Aethiopica to bloom

If your arum lily isn’t blooming, the problem may be a lack of sunlight. When moving your lily to a sunnier spot, ensure that the new location’s temperature is the same as the old location.

Good to know – harvesting seeds

The colourful part of the plant which we refer to as the flower is actually a large modified leaf wrapped around a central finger-like stem, which carries the minute but densely congested flowers.

The flowers are followed by green berries which ripen to orange.

Zantedeschia Aethiopica

propagation

Propagate arum lilies by splitting the tubers in the spring before there is a lot of top growth.

You can cut larger clumps with a sharp spade and divide them into smaller sections ensuring that each section has a visible bud.

Propagation by seed

Harvest the fruit in the summer when they have turned yellowish and soft. Remove the pulp and allow the seeds to dry before storing them and sowing them in spring.

For planting and transplanting instructions, see care section.