If you’re a total flower lover like I am, you’ve probably looked at your Calla Lilies and thought, “I definitely need more of these in my life.” Well, good news! Propagating these beauties at home is actually pretty straightforward. With a little patience, you’ll have a whole collection of these elegant houseplants before you know it.
Two Ways to Grow Your Calla Collection
There are basically two ways to get more Callas. The first is growing Calla Lilies from seed. It’s a fun project, but fair warning: it can take a few years before you see that first bloom. If you’re looking for faster results, I highly recommend “rhizome division.” It’s much more reliable, and you’ll usually get gorgeous flowers by the very next season.
Step-by-Step: Growing Calla Lilies from Seed
- Either harvest seeds from a spent bloom or buy a fresh packet.
- Get a seed tray ready with some high-quality potting mix.
- Sow the seeds thinly across the surface.
- Lightly cover them with a thin layer of soil.
- Keep the soil consistently moist (but not soggy!).
- Once they sprout and get a little size on them, “prick” them out.
- Move the little guys into their own individual pots.
- Keep taking care of them just like your adult Callas.
Dividing the Bulbs (Rhizomes)
If you want to go the division route, springtime is your best bet. A great time to do this is whenever you’re already repotting your Calla Lily. Most pros suggest repotting every year right after the winter dormancy period to give the plant fresh nutrients.
To divide them, gently lift the plant out of its pot and take a good look at the root system (the rhizome). You’ll usually see small “offsets” or baby bulbs growing off the main one. Use a clean, sharp knife to carefully cut these away. If there aren’t any offsets, you can actually just slice the main bulb right down the middle into two halves.
Plant your new sections into pots with fresh soil, move them to a bright spot, and keep the soil nice and damp. You should see the first leaves popping up in just a few weeks! Just keep in mind that you probably won’t see flowers until the following year—Callas really need that winter nap to save up enough energy for those stunning blooms.
