White Giant Calla Lily

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White Giant'

flower

White Giant is a large white calla lily, the elegant, sculptural flower of weddings and florists. Despite the name it is not a true lily but a rhizomatous perennial in the arum family, native to southern Africa, and its famous flower is actually a single, smooth, pure-white, funnel-shaped bract (a spathe) wrapped around a golden central spike. It is a giant selection that rises as much as four to seven feet on smooth stems above glossy, arrow-shaped leaves (taller in mild climates where it does not die back hard), blooming in early summer, and is unusual among callas in loving moisture - it thrives in constantly moist or even boggy ground and at the edge of a pond. Hardy only in mild climates, it is grown elsewhere as a container plant or summer bulb and a superb, long-lasting cut flower.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Astilbe — Shares the love of rich, constantly moist soil and adds feathery plumes beside the bold calla spathes
• Hosta — Bold foliage for the same moist, part-shaded ground around the calla
• Ferns — Thrive in the same damp conditions and soften the planting at the water edge

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Cluster on tender new growth and buds - rinse off with water and encourage ladybugs

• Spider mites →

  Appear in hot dry air, mainly on stressed or indoor plants - keep it moist and rinse the foliage

• Rhizome rot →

  Caused by cold, stagnant, airless wet soil - it likes clean moisture, not foul muck; ensure the wet soil is alive and aerated and lift rhizomes from cold soggy ground over winter

• Bacterial soft rot →

  Turns rhizomes to mush - plant only firm, healthy rhizomes, avoid wounding them, and discard any soft, smelly tissue

🌸 Blooms & cutting

Calla lily is one of the great cut flowers - cut the long stems in the cool morning when the spathe has just unfurled, and the sculptural blooms last a week or more in the vase. In the garden, remove spent flowers and yellowing leaves to keep it tidy. In cold climates the seasonal task is overwintering: lift the rhizomes after the foliage dies down, dry and store them cool, or bring a potted plant indoors. Note that the sap and all parts are toxic, so wear gloves and keep cut stems away from pets.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

An ornamental tender perennial grown for its elegant white spathes and as a premier long-lasting cut flower. It offers little to wildlife and every part is toxic, so its value is purely ornamental - handle with gloves and keep it away from pets.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

All parts of calla lily contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals and are toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and people if chewed or eaten, causing intense burning and swelling of the mouth and throat, drooling, and vomiting; the sap can also irritate skin. Wear gloves when handling it and keep the plant and cut flowers away from pets and children.