How to Winterize Calla Lilies

The Calla lily (Zandedeschia) is not a true lily as the name implies. Callas are tropical plants native to South Africa, where the plants grow as weeds. Calla lilies have pink, yellow, red or white trumpet-shaped flowers that appear to have a waxy coating. Plants bloom in mid to late summer and need protection from cold temperatures outside of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, where calla lilies thrive all year due to the warm winter temperatures.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Container with cover
• Peat Moss
• Shovel
• Pruning shears
• Mulch

1. Use pruning shears to cut down the calla lily foliage after the first frost, which causes the foliage to die back. Cut the foliage to 2 inches above the soil line.
2. Use 2 to 3 inches of mulch to cover the rhizomes in the ground in climates where temperatures don’t fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If temperatures in the area fall below the recommended temperature, you must dig the rhizomes and store them for the winter.
3. Use a shovel to dig up the rhizomes. Shake off the dirt and lay the rhizomes in a place where it is warm and dry for one or two weeks.
4. Place 3 to 4 inches of peat moss in a container that is large enough to accommodate all the calla lily rhizomes. Place the dried rhizomes in the container and cover the calla lily bulbs with peat moss.
5. Cover the container and place in a cool area where the temperature is between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit until spring.

Tips & Warnings

• Calla lilies grown in containers can be cut back and left in the containers, which must be placed in a dark, dry area and only watered when the soil is completely dry. The temperature in the location must remain at 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.