Staking a Calla Lily

Perennials. Flowering perennials. Ornamental or green perennials. A automatic sign of spring!

Okay, i love perennials! Most people who know anything about me know that, some ornamental, expensive and more often than not, cheap and flowering.

I always feel i have spent my money's worth when i invest in perennials. No offense to annuals, but they are a waste of hard earned time, money and work. They show off once and are gone, never to return bringing one season of pleasure.

Why dig a hole for something that only lasts a season, is the question i pose to myself, every spring. When i can get something close in color, looks and style or better, that with a little care will be a reoccurring feature in my garden.

Like i said, 'no offense' to annuals, that do give pleasure.

Perennials is a frugal minded gardener's god send. Whether potted or placed in the garden they have a permanent spot forever. Unless of course they die or outgrow their container. That's when splitting comes into place, giving me more than i paid for in the beginning. What a multiplied blessing.

Anyway, my calla i bought last year on sale and kept in it's decorative pot is re blooming. It also seems to be larger than last years, so once it's stalk began to lean over because of the heads weight, i had no choice but to stake it.

So, i thought of the least expensive ways to give my Calla Lily some support as it continued to flourish this spring. of course free or as frugally as possible.

So, i thought of a variety of ways. Of course doing it in the least expensive way was the only challenge!

Interesting tidbits

Zantedeschia aethiopica aka varkoor in Afrikaan, for "pig's ear".

• a Calla Lily is not really a lily or a calla according to botanists
• the species is Araceae, arums or aroids
• native to southern Africa
• evergreen in rainfall and adequate temperatures
• deciduous in dry seasons
• can be found in a variety of colors, from a dark purple to purest whites
• used for both funerals and weddings, for weddings specifically because of its female shape
• the original white color means both purity, rebirth and resurrection
• apparently first introduced in the U.S. in the mid 1800's
• was first mislabeled or categorized wrongly by a Swedish botanist
• yet the nick name Calla Lily hung on

Identifying a Calla Lily is pretty easy from it's waxy trumpet or funnel shaped bloom, spathe and sword or lance like leaves. The vary in color and sizes making them a great bloom to enjoy and arrange.

Calla parts

• stalk, or stem
• spathe, outer petal or leaf like curved bract
• leaf
• spadix, conical in shape, holds flowers, 'spike inflorescence having small flowers borne on a fleshy stem'
• bulbs
• roots

Staking a plant is not all that difficult. You just have to keep in mind that you don't want to damage it while either training it or supporting it.

Tools used

• long match sticks
• skewer sticks
• floral wire
• dried sticks from out side
• left over ribbon
• pot size
• soil / potting soil

Process

This typically starts with measuring everything.

• cutting, correct length, and varying lengths
• twisting wire without damaging stem, the gauge of the wire makes a difference
• placement of sticks, being careful of damaging the bulb and root is important
• look of stake, it can be as interesting as you like or as plain as you like
• tying ribbon, length and style, this is and can be an additional way to decorate your plant especially if you match the ribbon to your respective décor.

Everything was easy. Everything was on hand, leftovers from other projects. The taller two sticks were from outside in the yard, dried branches of smaller trees.

So, staking my Calla cost me nothing but time and effort because i already owned and possessed everything else.

I think it turned out well and my Calla Lily is now supported as it grows! As it continues to grow up the shorter supporting sticks will of course be removed.

Easy project, indeed.

Art enthusiasts of the Calla Lily include Georgia O'Keefe and Diego Rivera, who both excelled in capturing the elegance of this sophisticated bloom.

Calla lilies make wonderful arrangements, whether it is a single stem or multiple stems, they are an elegant way to give a beautiful long lasting floral bouquet as well. They are well worth the money and compliment other flowers as well. They also add a sophisticated elegance to most decors, too.

For brides

Any blushing bride wishing to convey a secret message would never go wrong with the Calla Lily especially the white ones, i think they are perfectly marvelous

Warning if ingested Callas are poisonous!