Calla Lily in Zone 8a & 8b
Zantedeschia aethiopica
When to plant calla lily in zone 8b
Zones 8a and 8b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. Calla Lily doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Apr 1–Apr 8 |
| Estimated bloom | Mar 31 '28–Apr 7 '28 (First real harvest the season after planting) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2-3.5 ft.
Calla lily is grown from a rhizome rather than seed, and where you live decides whether it is a permanent planting or a summer one.
How calla lily fits zone 8's season
Zone 8b's frost-free window runs about 230 days, from March 25 to November 10. Calla Lily takes about 1 growing season to reach full flowering, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.
Calla Lily is hardy in zones 8-10, so in zone 8b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 2 ft of spread at maturity.
Good companions
No standout companions recorded yet for Calla Lily.
Where to buy calla lily bulbs
We haven't vetted bulb/tuber suppliers yet. Our seed-supplier list below doesn't carry these. The growing-guide source cited above is a good starting point for where to buy.
See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing calla lily" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 8b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Calla Lily in USDA zone 8b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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