Zantedeschia aethiopica

(L.) Sprengel

White Arum Lily

Araceae Edible: Leaves, Stems, Vegetable, Roots, Caution 34,326 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Zantedeschia aethiopica, commonly known as calla lily and arum lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, and Eswatini.

Description

A succulent herb. It is a perennial plant. The roots are fleshy and form underground storage organs. It grows 90-120 cm high and 50-75 cm wide. Plants form dense clumps of leaves. The leaves are glossy and arrow-shaped. They are 40 cm long. The leaves are on stalks arising from the base of the plant. The stalks can be 40 cm long. The leaf stalks have a sticky sap when broken. The flowers have white spathes and a yellow spadix. The white spathes are funnel shaped with a split down the side. The stalk or spadix in the centre has true flowers are clustered along this. After flowering oval yellow berries form and these have round seed.

Edible Uses

Young leaves can be eaten cooked. Some caution is advised — see notes on toxicity.

Traditional Uses

CAUTION: The flower stalk and the roots are poisonous if eaten raw. Like many plants in this family they contain oxalates that need special processing to remove these. The young leaves and leaf stalks are eaten as a vegetable. Roasting and boiling removes the toxicity.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It can stand light frosts. It can grow naturally along watercourses. It suits swampy areas. They can grow in full sun or light shade. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Canary Is.,Central America, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indonesia, Italy, Lesotho, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norfolk Island, North America, Northeastern India, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Sicily, Slovenia, South Africa*, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, Swaziland, Tasmania, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay, USA, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed sown as soon as ripe and at 21-27°C. They can be grown by division of the clump. The tubers are planted 30-40 cm apart and 10 cm deep.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as ripe in a greenhouse. Stored seed should be pre-soaked in warm water for 24 hours and sown in moist soil in spring under glass. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough and grow on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division, preferably in spring, works well; larger divisions can go straight to permanent positions, while smaller ones are best potted and grown in light shade until well established, then planted out in summer or the following spring.

Other Uses

None known.

Other Information

It is a famine food.

Notes

There are 6-8 Zantedeschia species. It can be invasive.

Synonyms

Richardia africana KunthCalla aethiopica Linn.and others

Also Known As

Calla, Common calla, Inyibiba, Lili arum, Lily-of-the-Nile, Navadni škrnicelj

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