What Is So Cool About Calla Lilies?

Spathe Shape

• The spathe of a calla lily is actually a modified leaf around the spadix -- a spike of tiny flowers. The colorful spathe is funnel- or trumpet-shaped and does not wither and dry out the way other springtime flowers do. The spathe will arch toward the ground in the late spring while it is in fruit and then drop from its stem when the growing season has ended.

Year-Round Flowering

• The calla lily is capable of flowering year round in climates where the temperatures do not dip below freezing. Unlike potted calla lilies, which need little water for a few months after blooming, outdoor calla lilies still need water on a regular basis to grow year round. Remove dead spathes and leaves after the plants bloom. Calla lilies need regular nutrients in the form of houseplant fertilizer in water or compost in the soil twice per month to bloom year round.

Bulbs

• Save the bulbs by digging them up and storing them in climates where the temperatures drop below freezing. Let the bulbs dry about one to three days and wrap them in sphagnum moss or vermiculite. Store the bulbs in a dry place at 50 to 55 degrees F. Replant them in the spring.

Deer Resistance

• Deer do not eat the calla lily or its foliage very often. They seldom cause severe damage that would kill the plant. This makes the calla lily a good barrier plant placed between woods where deer find their habitats and gardens to protect plants that deer find more delectable. The bulbs will multiply and spread rapidly if left in the ground, creating a further protective garden barrier.