Zantedeschia elliottiana Captain Marrero - Calla Lily

The Arum or Calla 'Captain Marrero', also known as Zantedeschia, stands out for its flowering with delicate pale pink spathes washed with white. This hybrid Arum is a tuberous perennial that bears an upright clump of large sagittate leaves, dark green with a slight white marbling. Its flowers continuously bloom from May to August and last a long time in bouquets. It is frost-tender and needs to be overwintered outside of warm climate regions, making it suitable for pot cultivation. This plant requires a light, rich, and moist soil, as well as a bright but not scorching exposure.

Zantedeschia 'Captain Marrero' is one of the many hybrids obtained by cross-breeding two main species native to Eastern and Southern Africa, Zantedeschia rehmannii and Zantedeschia elliottiana. 'Captain Marrero' is a stemless species with large sagittate leaves, dark green with white speckles. It can grow quite tall, reaching about 60cm (24in) in height and 40cm (16in) in width. Like other hybrids, this plant requires specific growing conditions to flower. The flower, typical of Arums, produces a highly ornamental spathe, nearly 10cm (4in) in diameter, concealing a golden yellow spadix in its centre. Its thick roots grow perpendicularly in the growing medium, resembling fleshy and creeping rhizomes. In nature, this plant grows in marshes that usually dry out in summer, under warm climates year-round. The vegetation dries up, and the tuber enters a dormant period. This vegetative cycle must be strictly respected in cultivation. Florist Arums can live for many years if the cyclic resting period is well observed.

Zantedeschia 'Captain Marrero' is particularly suitable for pot cultivation as long as it receives regular watering. It can also be planted in moist soil near a water source or even partially submerged, in less than 20cm (8in) of water during summer. Its exotic-looking foliage will beautifully accompany large ferns, sedges, and creeping Lysimachias in a lush and humid environment. Outside of mild climate regions, dig up the rhizomes and overwinter them in a dry place at 10 °C before replanting them next spring. Otherwise, mulch with a minimum of 10cm (4in).