Deadhead Calla Lily - How and When to Cut Back

If you are searching for ways to deadhead calla lily then before that let me tell you these plants are perennial & hardy to zone 7 to 10. They directly grow from rhizomes and it’s easier than growing it from seeds. It would reach a larger height in a year & the process of deadheading calla lily is important so the plant does not waste more energy on wither blooms.

Deadhead Calla lily is done using a pair of pruners and we cut off all the wither flowers stem from the bottom. Calla leaves are left without any blossoms for next season.

Just move deadheaded calla lilies indoors in a warm area and don’t take it to a place where it’s too cold.

Calla are hardy to zone 7a to 10b and that’s it why for these zones they mostly don’t need to clip off leaves, but for those people living in zone 1-6 should dug the rhizomes of calla lily and cover it in a paper bag and place it in a cool place.

These plants are mostly grown outside and if grown in pots it should be placed in a sunny spot where it can get full sun.

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Table of Contents

They like direct sunlight so these calla lilies would be happy if you place them in a good light area. Lets now get all the knowledge on deadheading calla lilies.

Deadheading Calla lily

Deadhead Calla lily is done using a pair of pruners and we cut off all the wither flowers stem from the bottom. Calla leaves are left without any blossoms for next season.

Just move deadheaded calla lilies indoors in a warm area and don’t take it to a place where it’s too cold.

Many flower plants where we deadhead the flower produce more such blooms but that’s not the case for our calla lilies.

Deadheading a calla lily will save the energy of your plant that is used for wither blossoms.

When I was growing Calla lilies in containers there was only one flower bloom I saw early and then second flower bloom late in summer.

Then Next year I will grow a calla lily using bulbs again. This time I saw more than 5 flower blooms so this makes my mind clear about the number of blossoms that a calla lily will produce.

The numbers are nothing but it’s just natural sometimes 2 or other times 7 is just what its natural phenomenon to grow.

Many even asked Why do you deadhead calla lily? And I say there are 3 reasons I would like to reveal:

Firstly Deadheading Won’t hurt your Calla lily so don’t worry. It takes a lot of time to build strong rhizomes so it needs energy to grow that. That’s why when we cut off the wither flowers it helps the bulbs to grow bigger and better.
Secondly, when you deadhead calla lilies, it makes it healthy and clean. Those faded blooms are ugly looking so if you don’t prune them they will keep looking bad and overall if anyone sees your plant it gives a bad impression to them.
Making Your plant more attractive with just green leaves. After deadheading only leaves are left and taken back indoors so you can grow it after frost.

What Happens If you don’t Deadhead Calla lilies?

If you don’t deadhead Calla lilies, it may start to produce seeds after the flower wither completely. All the petals in every flower drop and only the female part left where it would create a fruit. I say that a fruit because it gives seeds and that is used for many gardeners to grow calla lilies in bulk in a large area.

The Use of Calla lily flowers as bouquet, wedding arrangements, functions and much more. The Sale of these flowers bloom in wedding seasons by the management because it is used all over the party hall.

Calla lily Care after Deadheading

Once you deadhead calla lily, but the original plant is still growing with green leaves. Slowly you may find the leaves turning yellow then brown, it means autumn is coming which results in most flowers wither. Even if you don’t cut off the blooms, the flowers will still fade in the next season. Petals may drop and only the female part stays in which the flower makes the fruit. Once the fruit has developed it is possible you won’t get calla lilies blooming because now the fruits will produce seeds. That is why we deadhead the calla lily flower stem from the bottom. Now follow the steps to care calla lily after deadheading:

Let the plant grow until you see the leaves turn yellow or brown.
(Option 1) One Winter’s came, Take your calla lily pot indoors and let it stay in a warm area. The plant may survive in USDA zone 8 and above.
(option 2) For Zone 7 or below, Once frost hit, you need to cut off all the stems with leaves(before that you only trimmed down the flower stems).
Now dig the soil and take out rhizome of calla lily.
Let it dry for a day and put this bulb(rhizome) in a paper bag or cover it with shredded paper or sphagnum moss.
Our goal is to make sure the calla lily bulbs won’t get moisture if we are

successful then our plants are saved for next season.

If it receives moisture then the bulbs will rot and won’t survive.

After Deadheading, New Season

So the frost is gone and now it’s time for your calla lily rhizomes to be taken out and planted in the garden or pot. You need to dig 2-3 inches down the pot and put the bulb there. Make sure the eyes of bulbs are facing top, from there it will produce new shoots or stems. Bury the bulb and water it fully. All this can be done in spring or after 2-3 weeks once frost is finished. The sunlight, water, care all will ensure your plant will bloom again. Also try to place it in full sun after the shoots are coming from bulbs. When you grow seed or grow some plant from bulbs, in initial days it needs moisture and shade to partial sun to grow. We see a small growth that can be placed in a full sun area. Here I am talking about only those plants that support direct sunlight.

Water it whenever the soil is dry, temperature should be 65-76 degree F but don’t worry about this just make sure the plant receives enough sunlight. All the best.

About Calla lily Deadheading And Calla lily Pruning

Calla lily deadheading is a type of pruning which is needed to make the plant bloom again in the same season or the next. It encourages flower growth. If you ever have lilies they even grow back again if you deadhead the spent flower or existing ones. Deadheading applies to plants which have flowers but pruning can be used for every type of plant. You need pruners or cutting tools to prune or deadhead your plant. It is advised by everyone, not just me, that you should clean or sterilise your pruning blade and make it free from bacterial infection. This way your pruning or deadheading can be done safely and the plant won’t get any infection.

In some lilies you deadhead the flower only, but in case of calla lilies you need to cut off the stem(branch) from the base of that spent flower. Do not touch the main trunk or any branch or stem where leaves are growing. Leaves are needed for plants to survive and get food. I am saying this because the leaves grow first then flowers after that you get fruits.

Deadheading is important for your calla lilies every year and it’s fun gardening.

Also Check :

Calla Lily Meaning – What Does It Symbolize?

Are Calla Lilies Perennial? – Coming Back Every Year

What’s More – Infections & prevention

Calla lilies pots need to be cleaned for air circulation and to control fungal infection. So what I am saying is that if your plant leaves, flowers drop off and ruins stay on soil it creates the bulk of mulch. These dead leaves or flowers can cover the soil easily which makes it hard for the water to dry. Then the collected water stays in the soil and can create fungal infection and root rot. That’s why cleaning is important and it also prevents pests from coming to attack the plant. If somehow your calla lilies may get fungal infection and it starts to make leaves yellow or brown then use fungicide and your problem will be solved.

Potting Soil for calla lilies – Shop Now.

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My thoughts

So As you know deadheading calla lily is important for this plant. I just shared my experience on how I do it, and it helps others to follow the same. I hope you find this article helpful. Please check my other posts. Thank you.

Calla Lilies In Pots – Caring And Growing(They Do Grow Well)

When Do Calla Lilies Bloom? (Seasons, Florida Perennial)

Calla Lily Flower – Meaning And Symbolism

Calla Lily Leaves Turning Yellow – How to Fix(Reason and Solution)

Reference:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zantedeschia/