Zantedeschia elliottiana Black Magic - Calla Lily

The 'Black Magic' hybrid Arum, also known as Zantedeschia, is a hybrid stemless perennial bulbous plant native to South Africa. It is prized for its green foliage marbled with white and its flowering with sumptuous lemon yellow spathes, punctuated by black throats, from July to September! It is a tuberculate frost-tender perennial that thrives in warm locations and light, rich, and fresh soil, although it remarkably tolerates drought. It is a lush plant, ideal as a cut flower or planted at the edge of a water basin or in a pot on a terrace.

Zantedeschia 'Black Magic' is one of the many hybrids obtained by cross-breeding between two main species native to Eastern and Southern Africa, namely Zantedeschia rehmannii and Zantedeschia elliottiana. 'Black Magic' is a stemless species with large sagittate leaves, dark green heavily mottled with transparent white. It is of medium size, measuring approximately 40cm (16in) tall and 50cm (20in) wide. Like other hybrids, this plant requires specific growing conditions to flower. The flower, characteristic of Arums, produces a highly ornamental spathe, almost 10cm (4in) in diameter, hiding a golden yellow spadix at its core. Its thick roots penetrate perpendicularly into the growing medium, which are fleshy and trailing rhizomes. In nature, this plant grows in marshes that usually dry out in summer, under hot climates all year round. The vegetation dries out, and the tuber enters a dormant period. This vegetative cycle must be strictly respected in cultivation. Florist's arums live for many years if the cyclic rest period is well respected.

Zantedeschia 'Black Magic' is particularly suitable for pot cultivation as long as it benefits from 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 in summer. Its exotic-looking vegetation will beautifully accompany large ferns, sedges, and creeping Lysimachias in a humid and lush environment. Outside mild climate regions, dig up the rhizomes and overwinter them dry at 10  °C, before replanting them next spring. Otherwise, mulch with a minimum of 10cm (4in).