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| Common Names: Calla, Calla Lily, Trumpet Lily, Arum
Lily, Jack-in-the-Pulpit. |
| Botanical Name: Zantedeschia,
(zan-te-DES-kee-ah) |
| Availability: Year-round, peak supplies
December through July. |
| Vase Life: 4 to 8 days. |
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| Storage Temperature: 50 - 70 F |
| Ethylene Sensitive: No |
| Description: Flowers are born on a spadix at the
end of a long, thick, straight stem and surrounded by a distinctively shaped spathe.
Full sized callas have a spathe 3 to 5 inches long and stems 15 to 36 inches long.
Mini callas have a spathe 1 to 2 inches long and stems 8 to 12 inches long. |
| Colors: White, ivory, pink, yellow, green, purple,
shades of red. |
| Botanical Facts: The flower was named for Francesco
Zantedeschia who wrote about Italian plants around 1825. |
| Design Notes: The sleek lines of the calla are
perfect for line arrangements. Calls are frequently used in contemporary, deco, and
Asian influenced design. |
| Purchasing Hints: Purchase callas at the
stage they are needed. They will not continue to open after they are cut.
Spathes should be smooth, firm and slightly curled, without bruises, brown tips or
brown edges. the spadix should not be releasing pollen. |
| Conditioning: Cut stems under water with a
sharp knife. Hydrate in a solution of warm water and commercial floral preservative
/ floral food for two hours before storage or usage. |
| Additional Notes: Calls are heavy drinkers,
check water levels in vases often. The sap of the calla will stain clothing, and
this stain will appear only after laundering the fabric. When making a
hand-tie or wedding bouquet using callas, be sure to cover the stem ends so that the sap
will not stain clothing. The stem ends of the calla will split when held in water.
This is not a problem. However, if you wish to avoid the split stem ends you
can wrap the end in a bit of clear waterproof tape. |
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