Callas or arums make their appearance in March to add colour to your spring.
Their scientific name is Zanthedechia, but they are commonly known as callas or arums. Our growers specialise in the Aethiopica and Flamingo varieties, because their flowers are larger than those of other colours. Their yellow spadix and white spathe for the Aethiopica and pink for the Flamingo make them jewels in any garden. The vast majority are produced in 17 and 20 cm pots, which are large enough to create beautiful specimens without having to plant them in the ground.
We also grow a few small colour batches for customers who love the bright, eye-catching colours of lilacs, yellows, reds and oranges.
By the end of February, some plants were already in flower, and some outlets took the opportunity to launch the campaign. Do you have any in your garden?
Callas are hardy plants, which is why they’re a good option for many customers, as they don’t require complicated care – you could say they’re an “undemanding” plant.
To sum up:
- Light and soil: callas prefer indirect or partial light, and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. If the plant is in a pot, there is no problem, as it can be moved around as it adapts, but if it is planted in the ground, a good location must be chosen.
- Watering: it’s best to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Avoid waterlogging to prevent root rot.
- Fertilisation: although our plants have a substrate rich in fertiliser because we sell them with flowers, at home you can apply a balanced fertiliser every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season, which will help them to develop more strongly.
- Transplanting: callas should be transplanted every two or three years to ensure healthy growth. If you have planted the calla in the ground, regenerate the soil to help it develop.
- Pruning: when the leaves or flowers of callas are damaged and dry, it is advisable to remove them to encourage new growth and prevent disease.
- Propagation: callas can be propagated in moist, nutrient-rich soil by :
- Seeds: This is the slowest method of all.
- Cuttings: these reduce cultivation time and provide plants with characteristics similar to those of the mother plant.
- Bulbs: these germinate in early spring.
When do callas wilt?
After flowering, it is normal for callas to begin to wilt. It is advisable to cut off the flowers and dead leaves to encourage new growth. If temperatures start to fall, it’s a sign that winter is approaching and it’s time to take precautions to protect your plants.
Winter and callas
During the winter, callas go into ‘hibernation’. It’s essential to protect them from the extreme cold to avoid damaging their roots. Don’t hesitate to advise your customers on the various ways of keeping them alive for the following season:
- If the calla is grown in a pot, move it to a protected spot, such as a greenhouse or inside your home. This should be enough to preserve it.
- If the calla is planted directly in the garden, applying a layer of mulch around the plants, on top of the soil, to protect the roots from the cold, will help to keep it from freezing…
I’d like to tell you a few anecdotes about callas to share with your customers, in case they find them interesting:
1. Callas are poisonous plants if swallowed, so keep them out of reach of children and pets.
2. The calla flower is actually a modified bract, and the real flower is the small, usually yellow, spadix in the centre. Curious, isn’t it?
3. In Egyptian culture, the calla was associated with purity and the afterlife, and was commonly used in funeral ceremonies. Today, they are widely used for ceremonies such as weddings, retaining the idea of purity and long life for the couple.
Add these beautiful plants to your range of flowers! Let’s put plants in our lives.
