About
Calla palustris is a perennial plant that grows in wet, marginal areas and features rhizomes. Its leaves are broad, heart-shaped, and glossy, while the white flower spathes can reach lengths of up to 25 cm during the summer months.
About the genus
Calla consists of herbaceous perennials that may be deciduous or partially evergreen, thriving in shallow water environments. They feature glossy, dark green foliage and produce arum-like white spathes that encase yellowish flower spikes. These may later give way to dull red berries.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Aquatic
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Native to
- Temperate regions
- Toxicity
- Harmful if eaten, skin/eye irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Harmful if eaten, skin/eye irritant - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in humus-rich, lime free soil in planting baskets in mud or in still or slow moving water no deeper than 25 cm, in full sun. See pond plants and bog gardens for further advice
- Pruning
- Cut back after flowering
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in late summer or by division of the rhizomes in spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free