Some plants do not deserve the name they originally had. Take the Pig’s Ear for example. This name was once attached to the calla lily by Afrikaners who called this South African native Varkoor or pig’s ear. Horticulturists shared the calla lily with Europe and then on to North America where this herbaceous perennial bulbous plant has acquired quite a following.
Right up front, I would like to mention that calla lilies are highly toxic if ingested due to oxalic acid and should be kept away from children and pets to prevent ingestion – you may even consider not planting calla lilies at all. Keeping this important warning in mind, you can get both the dried rhizomes and started display plants available at almost any garden center. Calla lilies are members of the Araceae family noted for their complex “jack-in-the-pulpit” flower made up of a spathe with a central finger-like spadix where the true flowers are clustered. The colorful part of the calla is the spathe (a modified leaf) which forms a tubular lipped structure that shows off its splendor in full bloom. The calla lily needs specific conditions to produce these unique “flowers” like no other plant.
In its native Africa, the calla lily lives in seasonally moist areas in full sunlight. Callas grow best when given these conditions which may or may not exist in our landscapes here in Florida. You can replicate these site conditions in your own outdoor location by using an eight-inch pot and any of the common sterile potting mediums. Plant the rhizomes now for summer blooms no more than three-inches deep and moisten the pots. Then set the pots in tubs or pans of water – just set, not immersed – in a full sun location. You will either want to change the water regularly or use some type of screening to keep mosquitoes out as this small body of water would make an ideal breeding area. Actually, you are making a water garden as such and may even expand it into a small shallow pool.
You should experience lush, beautifully speckled foliage and hopefully colorful spathes in shades of pink, yellow, red, purple, and white – the most common colors. There are many hybrids which offer shades of orange and apricot as well. Sometimes it may take another season of growth to build up enough resources in the rhizomes to produce the flowers. At the end of the growing season, the calla foliage will peter out and the plants will go dormant. This is the time to dry them out for the winter.
Calla lilies are dramatic gems of the plant world. The long-lasting waxy flowers are worth the effort – they are in the garden centers now. Pig’s ear no more – just call them calla lilies! For more information on all types of exotic flowering plants suitable for growing in our area, or to ask a question, you can also call the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpdesk on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer. Ralph E. Mitchell is the Director/Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County. He can be reached at 941-764-4344 or ralph.mitchell@charlottecountyfl.gov. Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook @CharlotteCountyExtension and follow us on Instagram @ifascharco.
Resources:
Busbee, L., Andrews F., & Criss, J.(2022) Calla Lily – Zantedeschia aethiopica. The University of Florida Extension Service – Santa Rosa County.
Smith, B. H. (2022) Calla Lily. Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Zantedeschia : Calla Lily. (2025) North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. NC State University
Essig F. B. (2000) The Secret to Great Calla Lilies. University of South Florida
Weisenhorn, J. Jarvis, B. R. & Moncada, K. (2024) Calla and canna lilies. University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) (2025) UIC Heritage Garden. https://heritagegarden.uic.edu/calla-lily-zantedeschia-aethiopica
Wikipedia (2024) Araceae. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araceae.
Wikipedia (2025) Zantedeschia aethiopica. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zantedeschia_aethiopica.
Wikipedia (2025) Afrikaans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikaans.
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