Zantedeschia elliottiana Captain Mirage - Calla Lily

The Arum or Calla 'Captain Mirage', also known as Zantedeschia, is a rare and sophisticated plant with its pure white immaculate spathes and large grey-green foliage. It is a perennial plant with a creeping rhizome that forms a clump of large sagittate leaves. From May to August, solitary funnel-shaped flowers are borne on long, rigid stems, making it an excellent choice for cut flowers. It requires a bright location and a light, well-drained, moist, and rich soil. This plant is highly floriferous and elegant, making it well-suited for container cultivation. It is frost-sensitive and should be overwintered in a frost-free room.

Zantedeschia 'Captain Mirage' 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 Mirage' is a stemless species with large sagittate leaves, greyish-green in colour. It can grow up to 60cm (24in) tall with a spread of 40cm (16in). 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 at its centre. Its thick roots penetrate perpendicularly into the growing medium, resembling fleshy and trailing rootstocks. In the wild, this plant grows in marshes that typically dry out in summer, under consistently warm climates. The vegetation dries up, and the tuber enters a period of dormancy. This vegetative cycle must be strictly respected in cultivation. Florists' arums can live for many years if the cyclic resting period is well-maintained.

Zantedeschia 'Captain Mirage' is particularly well-suited for container cultivation as long as it receives regular watering. It can also be planted in moist areas, near a water source, or even partially submerged in less than 20cm (8in) of water during summer. Its exotic appearance complements well with large ferns, sedges, and creeping Lysimachias in a lush and humid environment. In regions with colder climates, lift the rhizomes and store them dry at 10 °C before replanting them in the following spring. Otherwise, mulch them with a minimum of 10 to 20cm (4 to 8in) of organic matter.