Transform Your Home with Lush Indoor Calla Lilies - Masterful Care Tips and Tricks for Healthier Blooms

Written by Raffaele Di Lallo, Ohio Tropics houseplant care blog's founder and author. Did you know that you can cultivate calla lilies indoors? Even though these plants present beautiful foliage, most of us will be growing them for their brightly coloured flowers. People living in USDA zone 10 or warmer won't have any trouble growing them outdoors. However, us that don't, can grow them inside and later place them outside for a few warmer months. If you wish to prosper when growing calla lilies indoors, there are a few important things to consider.

Above all, calla lilies actually do better as marginal aquatic plants and are frequently found growing on the banks of streams or ponds. This is ideal for those who enjoy watering their plants regularly. Keep your indoor calla lilies moist at all times and do not allow them to dry out. You can even put some water in the saucer that it sits in, but make sure it doesn't stay in any standing water for too long.

Throughout the growth period, it is advisable to fertilize the plants regularly with a low-nitrogen fertilizer to aid with flowering.

Although Calla lilies inside prefer some sunshine, be sure to avoid the hot midday sun as this can burn the leaves. A window facing east with morning sun or a window facing west with afternoon sun would be perfect locations for these plants.

The preferred temperature range for Calla lilies inside is between 65 degrees F. (18 C.) and 75 degrees F. (24 C.). Avoid exposing the plant to any temperature below 55 degrees F. (13 C.), except when it goes into a dormancy period.

It is advantageous to place your calla lily outdoors during the warmer seasons. When transferring from indoors to outdoors, be sure to acclimatize your plants to avoid scorching the foliage. Allow your calla lilies to sit in full shade for about a week during a time when the temperature is suitable to move them outside before gradually introducing them to more sun.

In regions with strong sun, partial shade is recommended, while in other areas, half to full sun is safe, as long as you continually meet the plant's moisture needs.

Towards the end of the growing season, you should let your calla lily go dormant in late fall. Allow the foliage to completely wither, stop watering, and place the plants inside an area that is above the freezing point but no warmer than around 50 degrees F. (10 C.). The area should be dark and with low humidity if achievable. Leave them dormant for around two to three months. You can give them some water occasionally during that time to prevent the rhizomes from becoming shriveled.

When the dormancy period is over, consider repotting the calla lily rhizomes into fresh potting soil and into a bigger pot if necessary. Place your pot back in its usual growing location, and watch the cycle start all over again.