Zantedeschia aethiopica, commonly known as calla lily and arum lily, is a species in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, and Swaziland.
Description
Zantedeschia aethiopica is a rhizomatousherbaceousperennial plant, evergreen where rainfall and temperatures are adequate, deciduous where there is a dry season. Its preferred habitat is in streams and ponds or on the banks. It grows to tall, with large clumps of broad, arrow shaped dark greenleaves up to long. The inflorescences are large and are produced in spring, summer and autumn, with a pure white spathe up to and a yellow spadix up to long. The spadix produces a faint, sweet fragrance. Zantedeschia aethiopica contains calcium oxalate, and ingestion of the raw plant may cause a severe burning sensation and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat; stomach pain and diarrhea may occur.
A number of cultivars have been selected as ornamental plants:
'Crowborough' is a more cold tolerant cultivar growing to tall, suited to cool climates, such as Ireland or Britain and the north-western United States.
'Green Goddess' has green stripes on the spathes which allow the flowers to last much longer than the original white form. 'Green Goddess' also has a more opened and wider spathe and has the tendency to develop curvy fringes at the edge of the spathe than the original white form. The first generation hybrid of 'Green Goddess' and the original white form have a light green underside on the spathe, allowing the flower to last longer than the original white form, but no green stripes on the top side. The New Zealand NationalPest Plant Accord proscribes the cultivation, sale, and distribution of 'Green Goddess'.
'Pink Mist' has a pinkish base to the spathe and pink spadix. 'Pink Mist' is not a hybrid, but a colour sport. The pink colour is best developed in partial shade after rain. 'Pink Mist' is quite delicate and weak compared to the original white form and 'Green Goddess'. Unlike the latter, 'Pink Mist' has a dormant period during winter, where the leaves almost die down completely, although it is pure Zantedeschia aethiopica. The seedlings of 'Pink Mist' are also weaker than the original white form or 'Green Goddess'.
'Red Desire' has a red instead of yellow spadix and appears to be very rare.
'White Sail', growing to 90 cm tall, has a very broad spathe.
The cultivars 'Crowborough' and 'Green Goddess' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In order to introduce colours to the large whitecalla lilies, like the many colours available in the dwarf summer calla lilies, attempts have been made to hybridise Z. aethiopica with Z. elliotiana. These have resulted in albino progeny, which are non-viable.
