Calla Lily

Question:

We received a beautiful purple calla lily at my husband’s funeral. After it finished blooming, I let it dry out and put it in a cool dry place in the basement. It must have frozen because when I brought it upstairs to start it again the two bulbs are mushy. Is it gone? I am so upset because I wanted so much for it to survive.

Answer:

Unfortunately, mushy bulbs do not recover. The mushiness is a sign of either a bacterial infection or rot. When put into dormancy, it is best that the tubers are removed from their pot, the soil gently shaken off and then placed in dry peat moss for 4-6 weeks. This ensures that the tubers are kept dry and bacteria free.

If it is any comfort, most Calla Lilies sold today are hybrids that bloom once spectacularly, but rarely bloom very well thereafter. So even if your tubers had survived, you may have been disappointed anyway.