ABSTRACT
The calla, Zantedeschia spp., is a tender, stemless, herbaceous perennial plant arising from a thickened fleshy rhizome. It is a member of the family Araceae and is grown in commerce or in gardens for its fragrant spathes and attractive and decorative foliage. This chapter presents data on the morphology, dormancy, and culture of Zantedeschia. The leaves are numerous, generally lanceolate, and are supported by a spongy petiole arising from the rhizome along with the peduncle supporting the corolla-like spathes, which are large, flared, open, and pointed. Year-round production of flowers can be achieved in greenhouses or under protection where summer temperatures are not high. In nature, if cessation of growth occurs, it results from low rainfall, as the natural growing areas are in bogs, or from cold temperatures.
