Calla Lily Sprays

Weddings

• Wedding sprays decorate pews, altars and other stationary items. A spray can also be a bouquet when the bride wants a grander bridal bouquet than the traditional one. A calla lily spray looks elegant with just calla lilies, but since the flower is long and tubular, there is a lot of open space. Therefore, use fillers such as calla lily leaves or other flowers such as roses. Calla lilies are found in a variety of colors, but if you cannot find your color, ask your wedding florist about special dyes and sprays that she can apply to the callas to get the color you are looking for.

Funerals

• Floral sprays are traditionally used at funerals. These are displayed on easel stands, pews and walls at the funeral home, and mourners often give them as a sign of sympathy. Some sprays are placed on top of the casket once it has been closed. Calla lily funeral sprays do not have to be dark. In fact, bright colors can uplift the spirits of those attending the funeral and bring light to a sad moment. Before selecting a spray for a funeral, however, recognize the family's traditions and religion. Certain religions use specific floral colors. The Eastern Orthodox Church, for example, traditionally uses all white flowers in its arrangements, so use all white calla lilies and filler flowers

Home Decoration

• A calla lily spray does not have to be for a special event. Real or faux calla lilies are also common in home decoration; you can hang them on staircases, from walls or even over a bookshelf. Create a calla lily spray for each season in your home. Use orange, red and brown sprays for fall. White, blue, green and red pair well for winter. During the spring and summer, use bright colors such as white, ivory, pink, green and orange. If you intend to use your calla lily spray the following year, purchase faux calla lilies from a craft store rather than fresh flowers. Calla lilies do not fare well when dried; therefore, faux flowers are a better option.

Calla Lily History and Growing

• The calla lily, also known as Zantadeschia, comes from a genus full of 28 different species of flowers. In Europe and the United States, the calla lily is a common flower for weddings. Calla lilies are grown from bulbs, rather than seeds. You can purchase bulbs at local nurseries and transplant them into a garden, but they require humid environments to thrive.