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Araceae FAMILY Least Concern

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Perennial
GrowthMedium

Zantedeschia aethiopica is found from coastal regions of S. Africa up to elevations of 2,250 metres, and thus experiences a wide range of conditions including hot and humid coastal regions, often with salt-laden air, and freezing, misty mountain grasslands at high elevations[1]. The plant can tolerate short periods with temperatures falling to around -5 and -10°c[2], although some selected forms, such as 'Crowborough' and 'Green Spathe', are hardier[2]. Requires a very rich soil in full sun or shade[3, 2]. Best when growing in full sun[4]. Succeeds in wet soils or water up to 30cm deep[3, 2]. Plants are more tolerant of winter cold if they are are planted deeply in shallow water to a depth of about 30cm[3, 4, 2]. It is best to cover plants with bracken in the winter in order to protect against exceptional frosts[4]. The leaves of the arum are very interesting in that they contain water stomata which can discharge excess water, by a process known as "guttation". This prevents water-logging and enables arum lilies to grow in wet conditions[1]. An excellent cutflower, it lasts a long time in water[1]. Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[5]

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[PFAF]. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in moist soil in spring in a greenhouse[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division, preferably in the spring[2]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Zantedeschia+aethiopica>

Pollinators

Bees, Insects

References

  1. [1]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
  2. [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]Bulbs — Phillips. R. and Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30253-1 ↩︎Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.
  5. [5]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  6. [6]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
  7. [7]Flora of the Cape Peninsula. — Adamson. and Salter. ↩︎A good flora but rather short on details of habitat. Not for the casual reader.
  8. [8]Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World. — Tanaka. T. & Nakao S. · Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo · 1976 · ISBN - ↩︎The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]Plants for Human Consumption. — Kunkel. G. · Koeltz Scientific Books · 1984 · ISBN 3874292169 ↩︎An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
  10. [10]Swaziland's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses — Chris Long · 2005 · http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/chrislong.asp ↩︎A basic, but very long, list of names and uses.
  11. [11]Underexplored Medicinal Plants from Sub-Saharan Africa — Lall N. (Editor) · Academic Press; London · 2020 · ISBN 978-0-12-816814-1 ↩︎Detailed information on 46 lesser known medicinal plants from Africa
  12. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎