Zantedeschia aethiopica (calla lily)

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Zantedeschia aethiopica (calla lily) is a perennial (family Araceae) found along the coast of California, in the North and South Coast Ranges, and in the San Francisco Bay area. Native to South Africa, calla lily is grown as an ornamental plant, and most invading populations are found near human habitations in coastal prairies and wetlands. Calla lily reproduces by bird-dispersed seeds and vegetatively via rhizomes, which may be spread by moving soil or garden cuttings. In western Australia and New Zealand, calla lily is an aggressive invader of riparian areas and pastureland.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Limited

Cal-IPC Resources on Zantedeschia aethiopica

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Zantedeschia aethiopica.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. (None for this species.)

Cal-IPC News Articles

• Randall, R. P. and S. G. S. Lloyd (2003). Weed warning from downunder: The weed potential of selected South African plants in cultivation in California. CalEPPC News. 11: 4-6.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• None for this species.

Other Resources on Zantedeschia aethiopica

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.

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