Q: We received a calla lily plant and we are unsure how to grow it. It was a gift from my mother-in law’s funeral and there was no specific plant information given with the plant.
Do we have to dig it up each year? Do we cut the flowers off to produce more flowers? Does it flower year round? We live in Cincinnati, OH.
A: Calla lilies aren’t winter-hardy in your area, so you’ll have to bring them indoors for the winter. How you treat them during this time depends on the kind you have. Common calla, the one with solid green leaves and large white flowers, never goes completely dormant. You need to grow it in a pot year-round, and then bring it indoors for winter and keep the soil slightly moist. Other callas, which have spotted leaves and flowers of pink, orange, red, or yellow, do go dormant. You can grow them in containers or in the ground during the warm months. In the fall, dig up the roots and store them in dry soil indoors for winter. Then plant them outside the following spring.
When actively growing, callas like full to partial sun and moist, fertile soil. Common calla tolerates wet soil, but the others need it well-drained. Cutting off the old flowers before they form seed helps to keep flowers coming on. Depending on where you live, flowers may appear in late spring or summer.