Calla Lily madness!
Calla lilies- how amazing are they?! Incredibly amazing, I say!
just a bit of background… Did you know that calla lilies are not actually lilies, but a separate genus? The calla lily was first catalogued in the mid 1700s, and misnamed by the famous Swedish botanist Carolus Linneaus. Later the German botanist Karl Koch establish a new genus, ‘zantedeschia’. I guess since that’s more challenging to pronounce, we just continue to call it a calla lily!
The symbolic meaning associated with the calla lily is “magnificent beauty”. They are native to southern Africa, but with the global economy, they are grown in so many countries now. Calla lilies thrive in steady temps and moderate seasons, and will bloom all year around as long as they have a sufficient supply of water, energy and nutrition.
The most common garden variety of Calla is the large white ‘Aethiopica’, but due to the high demand for miniature calla lilies for weddings, you can find them in a variety of colors for every season and color palette. ‘Flame’ a brilliant orange into yellow, ‘Chiante’ is burgundy/purple, ‘Gem’ a lavender mauve, ‘Hot Chocolate’ a dark brown/burgundy almost black! One of the most stunning cally lily is the large ‘Green Goddess’ with striations of white and brilliant green. These are “stand alone” flowers– they need no other blossom or foliage to embellish their natural sculptural shape.
The trend of Art Deco design is huge, in contemporary fashion and interiors-evoking images of perfectly symmetrical, geometric shapes embodied by this flower. Look into the archives of artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and her intimate studies of close up calla lily; and Diego Rivera, the iconic flowers gathered together in massive bundles.
If you’re looking for a long lasting, gorgeous flower- one that doesn’t need to be “designed”, buy yourself a bunch of calla lilies, or if you can, grow them! Once the blooms are cut, they can last up to 3 weeks in clear water! If you know Trader Joe’s, you’re familiar with their awesome flower selection- spring is in the air! Check out the latest selection, and you may just find yourself with a bunch of miniature calla lilies, or a potted plant- for a very affordable price! Just cut the stems, drop them into a narrow vase, And enjoy a bit of magnificent beauty!
Such a beautiful flower. And now in so many colors. I enjoy my backyard neighbors calla lily plants as I look out my kitchen window….even more beautiful when they are blooming. I’m going to Trader Joe’s Fri. afternoon ….here in Arizona, of course.
I wonder what the local Arizona Trader Joe’s offers in floral selections in your neighborhood?!