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Products > Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Gene's Giant'   Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Gene's Giant' - Giant Calla Lily       Habit and Cultural Information Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. Family: Araceae (Arums) Origin: South Africa (Africa) Flower Color: White Bloomtime: Spring/Summer Height: 2-4 feet Width: 4-5 feet Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F May be Poisonous  (More Info): Yes Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Gene's Giant' (Giant Calla Lily) - This is a robust herbaceous perennial that forms a large clump of arrow-shaped leaves. 'Gene's Giant' is a selection that grows 5 feet tall with an equal height stem bearing a single very large white flower (technically a bract called a spathe that surrounds the spike of fragrant yellow flowers in the center that is called a spadix). This is a real giant of a calla lily. This plant was recovered accidentally from our nursery soil dump pile when the soil was used for a container planting. This giant calla emerged and quickly took over the planting and has amazed everyone ever since. We named it for Gene Leisch, who has created many of our interesting container plantings and first inadvertently potted this plant up. Treat as you would the typical Calla but give it more space. This species of calla can be evergreen on the coast if irrigated during summer months but is otherwise summer dormant. In colder climates it can freeze back with a frost but quickly recover. In coastal irrigated gardens flowering is often year-round or in late winter to early summer if not irrigated. Plant in full coastal sun or light shade with seasonally or year round moist soil. This plant is suitable to a dry garden as it persists in gardens without supplemental irrigation but is also useful in well-irrigated gardens or along the edge of a pond.  The information presented on this page is based on research we have conducted about this plant in our library and from reliable online sources. We also consider observations of it growing in our nursery crops, as well as in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens we visit. We will incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they include cultural information that would aid others in growing Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Gene's Giant'.     [MORE INFO]