Zantedeschia aethiopica is also known as florist calla, white arum lily or common arum lily and is part of the Araceae family. The genus is native to swampy areas of South Africa. They are simply beautiful in bloom! Zantedeschia aethiopica grows from 0.6-1 m but may get taller in the shade. It is an excellent cut flower and lasts a long time in water.
It is evergreen or deciduous depending on the habitat and rainfall regime. The white arum forms large colonies in marshy areas. They are very versatile in the garden and this plant is often sold as a pond plant. But it can be grown in containers or in moist soils. It has lush looking dark green leaves with an arrow head shape. The size varies according to the amount of shade. Leaves are entire, arrow head shaped, glossy dark-green. The foliage is evergreen in frost-free climates, but will disappear in winter in colder zones.
The striking arum lily "flower" is actually many tiny flowers arranged in a complex spiral pattern on the central column (spadix). The spadix is surrounded by the white or colored spathe. The tiny waxy, flowers are arranged in male and female zones on the spadix. The top 7 cm are male flowers and the lower 1.8 cm is female. The flowers are faintly scented and this attracts various crawling insects and bees which are responsible for pollinating the flowers. Cross pollination occurs as the anthers of each flower ripen before the ovaries. The flowers appear in a main flush from August to January.The spathe turns green after flowering and covers the ripening berries. It rots away when these are ripe and the succulent yellow berries attract birds, which are responsible for seed dispersal. The rhizome is large and the ripe fruit is enjoyed by birds.
Hardiness zones: 6-10 (-20°C/-5°F, 1°C/35°F) in winter. Zantedeschia aethiopica is a species which is reported to be frost-hardy down to about 14-22°F (-6 to -10°C), depending on the growing conditions. In colder zones, this species can be tried with a good winter protection. In warmer zones, this plant can be reliably grown outdoors. This plant should be place in partial shade if there is no permanent water. It can be planted as a foliage plant in deep shade under trees but will not flower well in this position. It is fast growing and likes very rich, well-drained conditions. In a pond, this plant can be grown into water with a depth of about 2 in. (5 cm).