CALA FLOWER: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, USES, CULTIVATION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The cala flower (Zantedeschia aethiopica) is the best known plant within the Zantedeschia genus, belonging, in turn, to the Araceae family. It is also commonly known as alcatraz, capote, cartridge, lampaz, cala, calla, cartridge, and in English as calla lily. It is a plant native to South Africa.

-Species: Zantedeschia aethiopica

This species is also commonly known as Arodes aethiopicum, Calla aethiopica, Calla ambigua, Calla moschata, Colocasia aethiopica, Otosma aethiopica, Psudohomalomena pastoensis, Richardia aethiopica, Richardia africana.

Habitat and distribution

The cove is a plant native to South Africa, and it is distributed in all subtropical regions of the world. It is located up to 1900 meters above sea level.

It is obtained both in its natural habitat and cultivated in Albania, Algeria, Azores, Bermuda, Brazil, California, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Great Britain, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Philippines, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, among other.

It is an exotic plant that grows wild in mesophilic forests near irrigation channels, ditches or drainage ditches, paddocks and generally in humid regions.

Zantedeschia aethiopica is a very ornamental species for gardens. Source: Giovanni Dall'Orto

Properties

The properties of this plant species are not so extensive because it has a high content of oxalates, so it is not recommended to consume it as it can have a toxic effect.

In case of consuming the calla plant you can suffer from diarrhea, intestinal irritations, it can even cause death.

However, the leaves of Zantedeschia aethiopica are used by applying them directly to heal wounds and stings.

Applications

The main use of these flowers is of course as an ornamental. It is an elegant flower that is used for many occasions from weddings to funerals.

It is a species that is mainly used to prepare decorative centers as a cut flower, either alone or with other flowers.

Calla lilies are very elegant flowers. Source: pixabay.com

Culture

The optimal exposure is in the shade or in semi-shady conditions, in places with moist soil, and not in full sun or hot climates.

It can also be grown as an indoor plant, but in this case it must be provided with good lighting to cover its daily light requirements, because a light deficit would affect flowering and produce greater vegetative development.

Regarding the substrate, the cove requires well-drained soils with a large amount of organic matter. This is important when choosing a soil type, or when transplanting into a larger pot.

In this case, if the soil is sandy or clayey, it should be improved by incorporating an organic substrate between 20 and 50%, depending on the characteristics of the soil.

To grow in pots, a layer of gravel or clay can be placed at the bottom to facilitate drainage. On top you can place the substrate that could be any recommended for outdoor plants.

When it comes to places where frosts occur or the temperature during the winter is very cold, it is necessary to put a thick padding to protect the plant at its base.

The cove can also be used as a semi-aquatic plant. For this it can be partially submerged in water, even this is a way to protect it against frost.

Care

Irrigation

As has been indicated, the cove is a species sensitive to the lack of water. Therefore, the irrigation regime must be abundant and frequent, especially during flowering and when it is in the growth phase. The important thing is that the land or soil where it is located should never be dry.

A good practice to keep the soil of plants grown in pots moist is to place a plate under the pot to conserve the drained water and thus maintain humidity, since the water can rise by capillarity.

Fertilization

Fertilization is done during flowering every 15 days through fertigation. This is done by adding to the irrigation water a fertilizer, preferably organic although enriched with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and microelements.

Higher flowering can be achieved with the use of phosphorous and potassium fertilizers. In addition, it is important to cut the flowers as they wilt.

The calla flower is a species both wild and cultivable. Source: Manfred Heyde

Pruning

Calla lily is a plant that is generally not pruned. What should be taken care of is to remove old basal leaves, as when they dry out they can increase the risk of disease or parasite attack.

Also, dried flowers should be removed. In this dry organ removal practice, clean and disinfected tools should be used so as not to contaminate the plant tissues and allow healing to occur successfully.

Plagues and diseases

To avoid diseases, care is required especially in the amount of water and frequency of irrigation, since an excess of humidity could cause diseases caused by fungi such as Phyllosticta and Colletotrichum.

Other fungi can attack the root of the calla, and these can be identified if there is a yellowing of the lower leaves, as it is a symptom produced by Phytophthora richardie. Likewise, the root can be attacked by Rhizoctonia and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Otherwise, the attack of bacteria causes yellowing and necrosis in the plant, while the bulb rots and emits an unpleasant smell. Therefore, plants infected by bacteriosis must be removed immediately.

On the other hand, some pests can appear as aphids, snails and slugs. If these animals exist, it is recommended to remove them manually.

References

1. Singh, Y., van Wyk, AE, Baijnath, H. 1996. Floral biology of Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. (Araceae). S. Afr. J. Bot. 62 (3): 146-150.
2. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist. Species details: Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
3. Tropical Coast (2015-2018). Zantedeschia aethiopica. Taken from: tropicalcoast.net
4. The tree. 2019. Zantedeschia aethiopica. Taken from: elarbol.org
5. Vibrans, H. (ed.). 2009. Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. Taken from: conabio.gob.mx