Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White' — 19cm / 3L
Arum Lily (Calla Lily)

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White'

£18.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingShade-tolerantLoved by pollinators
Pot size

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Description

The Zantedeschia aethiopica, better known as the Arum Lily or Calla Lily, is one of the most elegant plants you can grow at the water's edge. Bold clumps of large, glossy, arrow-shaped leaves throw up a long succession of pure white, funnel-shaped spathes, each cradling a butter-yellow spadix, right through summer. It brings a cool, architectural, subtropical note to damp corners where many exotics would struggle.

This is a moisture-loving marginal from South Africa, thriving in the wet, boggy ground that defeats other border plants. Rated RHS H4, it is hardy through most of the UK, holding semi-evergreen foliage in milder gardens and dying back in colder ones. It revels in damp ground, yet a crown left frozen and waterlogged in heavy soil can turn to rot, so in colder gardens a generous blanket of autumn mulch over the crown carries it safely through winter. See our guide to what to expect from hardy exotics for seasonal detail.

Keep it permanently moist, especially while it establishes, and it will reward you with lush foliage and a long parade of flowers loved by summer pollinators. It looks wonderful massed in exotic borders, at the edge of a pond, or in a large container of patio planting kept well watered. Browse the rest of our hardy exotics range to build the scheme around it.

Please note: all parts of Zantedeschia aethiopica are toxic if eaten and the sap can irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling and site it away from curious pets and children.

Every plant we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy crown and strong roots, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Arum Lily (Calla Lily)

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Arum Lily (Calla Lily)

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White' needs full sun or partial shade and poorly-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H4 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −10°C

borderline hardy (RHS H4); mulch the crown deeply in colder gardens.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered

full sun or partial shade in a warm, sheltered spot, equally at home in a damp, part-shaded border.

Soil

ClayLoamPoorly-drainedMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

fertile, humus-rich soil that never dries out; superb in bog gardens and pond margins, or as a marginal in water up to 30cm deep.

Watering

This is a moisture-loving marginal, so keep it permanently damp. Water generously through the first summer while it roots in and never let a young plant dry out. Once established it thrives in wet, boggy ground where many plants would sulk. Read moreShow less

This is a moisture-loving marginal, so keep it permanently damp. Water generously through the first summer while it roots in and never let a young plant dry out. Once established it thrives in wet, boggy ground where many plants would sulk.

Mature size

Height0.9-1 m
Spread0.5-0.6 m

Reaches full size in 5-10 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jun-Aug · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Semi-evergreen

Pruning

Remove tatty or spent leaves and faded flower stems as needed. Mulch deeply over the crown to carry it through winter.

Toxicity

All parts of the plant are toxic if eaten, causing intense irritation and swelling of the mouth and throat. The sap can also irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling.

Native range

South Africa, Lesotho

Family

Araceae

Also known as

Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White'

Genus

Zantedeschia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zantedeschia aethiopica hardy in the UK?

Yes, largely. Zantedeschia aethiopica is rated RHS H4, so it is hardy through most of the UK down to around -10C. In colder gardens or on heavy, wet ground, mulch the crown deeply in autumn to protect it, and see our hardy exotics guide for what to expect through the seasons.

Can I grow an arum lily in a pond or bog garden?

Absolutely. This is a moisture-loving marginal that thrives in damp borders, bog gardens and at the edge of a pond, where it will happily sit in water up to 30cm deep. It is one of the best choices for wildlife and pollinator planting around water.

How much sun does an arum lily need?

It grows in full sun or partial shade. A warm, sheltered spot with constantly moist roots gives the best flowering, though it also does well in a damp, part-shaded border.

Is Zantedeschia aethiopica poisonous?

Yes. All parts of the arum lily are toxic if eaten and the sap can irritate skin and eyes. Wear gloves when handling and plant it away from curious pets and children.

When does the arum lily flower?

Expect a long display of pure white, funnel-shaped spathes through the summer, typically from June to August, each with a bright yellow spadix at its centre. It looks superb massed in exotic borders.

Can I grow Zantedeschia aethiopica in a pot?

Yes. Grow it in a large container of humus-rich compost and keep it very well watered, as it never likes to dry out. It is a striking, easy choice for pots and patio planting beside water features.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Zantedeschia aethiopica 'White'
£18.99