Tips for Potted Calla Lily Care
Caring for potted calla lilies indoors is very similar to caring for these flowers outdoors. Calla lilies bring deep green foliage and creamy, rounded flowers to your indoor garden. Despite their name, calla lilies are not true lilies. Instead, they are tropical plants native to South Africa that grow from rhizomes. This means the plant will go dormant and die back periodically. While this plant can be rewarding to grow, keep in mind that all portions of this plant are toxic. Keep your calla lily out of the reach of children and pets, and wear gloves when you touch the leaves and flowers of this plant.
Calla lilies thrive in sunny locations. In fact, choose a location that has nearly full sun all day and your plant will thank you. Check the soil around your plant once weekly. If the soil is dry, add warm water. If the soil is still damp, do not provide any more water. Rather than allowing your calla lily pot to sit in a dish of water, fill the drainage dish with rocks; this will keep the soil from absorbing too much water. Every three weeks while your plant is growing, add fertilizer to the water you provide for your plant; any fertilizer made for flowering plants will do the job.
When the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither, the plant is entering dormancy. Gradually reduce the amount of water you're providing to help speed up the process. When the foliage is completely yellow, cut it back to the surface of the soil and move the pot into a cool, dark location. In January, dig the rhizome out of the pot and put it in a new pot filled with fresh soil. Your rhizome should be in the middle of the pot, covered with an ample amount of soil. Place the pot back in its sunny location, and your calla lily should bloom beautifully!
