Why do we call a calla a calla lily when it’s not part of the lily family (Liliaceae) but the Araceae family, and it’s botanical genus name is not calla but Zantedeschia?
It stems from the popularity of this flower in the UK during the twentieth century, when the white callas were displayed at Easter time and developed the common name of Easter Lily. The name “calla” is believed to have been invented by the Americans, who commercialised the flower as a pot plant in the last century. For the benefit of professional readers we will continue calling these flowers by their correct name: Zantedeschia.
This elegant flower is of South African origin, and was officially given its name in 1826 by the German botanist, Kurt Sprengel, who named it after his Italian friend, physician and botanist, Giovanni Zantadeschi. There are winter-flowering and summer-flowering Zantedeschia. The former includes the arum lily, the Zantedeschia Aethiopica species, which has been developed into cut flowers such as Green Goddess, Highwood and a rarer pink-coloured Flamingo.
Theyare rhizomatous plants, have up to 1m long stems and will continue to grow towards the light after cutting (like a tulip). The summer flowering species were developed mostly in the USA and New Zealand into the Zantedeschia hybrids readily available today. These are bulbous tuber plants available in many colours with stems up to 100 cm in length. The Californians developed these further into the very flexible, smaller varieties which they named “Callafornia Callas” – the most common of which is Chrystal Blush.
If anyone has comments or queries on Zantedeschia, I will be delighted to hear from you at lucinda.sanderson@reineri.nl or call 07925695081.
Fun Facts
- The funnel-shaped head of a Zantedeschia is not the flower but the “spathe”. The finger-shaped centre “spadix” is the flower and has two genders – the male part at the top and the female at the bottom.
- Despite having both sexes, the flower still needs to be pollinated by insects. To better attract them, it naturally heats itself to a higher temperature which enhances the fragrance.
- Occasionally, the plant produces double spathes. They are now popular with floral artists.
- Dutch growers steam the soil before planting the hybrid tubers to kill any bacteria.
- All parts of Zantedeschia plants are poisonous.
- In Western Australia, Zantedeschia grow so rampantly they are considered toxic weeds and pests.
- In nature, the spathe of the Zantedeschia Aethiopica serves as a little pond that is inhabited by a small frog.
- The best Dutch Zantedeschia are grown in clay instead of sand to make the roots stronger and extract more nutrition.
