Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Zantedeschia 'Philomena'

arum lily 'Philomena'

A tender perennial to 50cm tall, forming an upright clump of white-spotted, arrow-shaped leaves. In summer it produces striking flowers composed of a pink spathe wrapped round a yellow spadix; the flowers are carried on stout stems and are good for cutting. Grow in a cool conservatory or as seasonal bedding

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Araceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten, skin/eye irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten, skin/eye irritant - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Zantedeschia can be deciduous or semi-evergreen, tuberous perennials with lance-shaped or arrow-shaped leaves and tiny yellow flowers forming a dense spike-like spadix, with a showy, hood-like spathe, sometimes followed by orange berry-like fruits
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in loam-based potting compost in full light. When in growth, water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks. Calla lilies need a period of dormancy over winter, with little or no water. Once the leaves die down after flowering, move them to a dry, frost-free, preferably dark location until spring. See Zantedeschia cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Bedding
Conservatory and greenhouse
Cut flowers

Pruning

Remove the flowers as they start to fade, pulling the entire stem out at the base

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.