Zantedeschia pentlandii – Indoor Plants

Zantedeschia pentlandii semi-evergreen perennial that grows up to 60 cm tall with broad, lance-shaped, dark green leaves marked with white spots. It produces a large, bright, lemon yellow cone-shaped petal with a dark purple spot at the base. It has a central column that carries the tiny blossoms and the yellow pollen. The blossoms develop into a dense mass of small, fleshy fruits that are relished by birds. It is a great choice for beds, borders, cutting gardens, all kinds of containers and it provides long-lasting cut flowers.

The Zantedeschia species are poisonous due to the presence of calcium oxalate. All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested and may cause irritation and swelling of the mouth and throat, acute vomiting, and diarrhea.

Scientific classification

Family: Araceae
Genus: Zantedeschia
Species: Z. pentlandii
Scientific Name: Zantedeschia pentlandii
Common Names: Mapoch lily, Calla lily, Yellow or Golden Arum Lily

How to grow and care Zantedeschia pentlandii

Light

It thrives best in bright indirect sunlight to partial shade. Provide at least 6 hours per day of indirect bright sunlight. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent the burning of the leaves and flowers.

Soil

It grows well in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Use a good peat moss based potting soil.

Water

Water regularly and keep the soil moist but not soggy. You can allow the soil to dry out between each watering.
But never let your plants totally dry out.

Temperature

It prefers ideal room temperatures between 50°-75°F (10°-24°C). If temperatures go much below 50, the plants will tend to go dormant. Keep Calla Lilies away from heating and air conditioning vents. If planted outdoors, be sure to dig up the Calla Lily bulbs and bring them inside before temperatures dip below freezing.

Re-potting

If your plant becomes root bound, transfer them to a slightly larger pot. One way to determine whether your calla lilies are ready for a bigger pot is if the roots look crowded. Root-bound plants are not likely to flourish. Repotting calla lilies is really pretty simple. You should simply carefully lift the calla lilies out of the smaller pot and gently place them into the larger one, all without harming the delicate roots. Then, fill the pot with soil until you reach about an inch from the pot’s edge. Calla lilies should be kept moist for a couple of days after repotting, so make sure to watch out for the soil’s moisture levels.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your calla lily with a bulb fertilizer monthly. Stop fertilizing once the calla lily plant has bloomed. If the foliage has dark tips, you may be adding too much fertilizer.

Humidity

Calla lily does well in average humidity.

Propagation

Calla lily can be easily propagated by seeds or by dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms, or bulbs (including offsets). Simply divide the rhizomes in the early spring and plant a single rhizome (bulb) in a deep 6-inch pot of slightly moistened potting mixture and treat them as mature plants.

Pests and Diseases

Calla lily is susceptible to various viruses and bacterial infections, especially rhizome rot and gray mold. These problems become evident when leaves and stems start to turn yellow before the plant is normally entering its dormant phase. Kill any small insect pests on your calla lily with insecticide soap or spray safe for plants.