Calla lily's single, sculptural bloom — a smooth trumpet-shaped spathe wrapped around a central spike — makes it one of the most instantly recognizable flowers used in modern floral design.
Native to southern Africa and, despite the name, not a true lily at all, calla lilies grow from rhizomes and have become a wedding and event staple thanks to their clean, minimalist elegance.
Calla lily symbolizes purity, rebirth, and admiration, and it appears frequently at both weddings and funerals as a gesture of respect and new beginnings.
Calla lilies want rich, consistently moist soil and full sun to partial shade, and they grow readily from rhizomes planted a few inches deep in spring. In cold climates, rhizomes should be lifted and stored indoors over winter, much like dahlias.
All parts of the calla lily are toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation on contact with the sap, so it's grown strictly as an ornamental, kept away from pets and children.
