Hello - help needed Arum Lily!

I have a white arum lily which has flowered it's socks off happily in it's current position for the last three years, but this year we have only had 1 flower spike, and now all the leaves are very droopy and down at ground level. I've tried giving it lots of water, though, this summer it can't have dried out(!) and feeding with miracle grow. I'm quite a new gardener, and not sure what to do with it. Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks!

 

Strange, this one. The Calla is known for its tolerance to diseases and even most garden pests don't really bother it. It hasn't been in contact with anything salty has it? They have a VERY low salt tolerance.

The only major disease I know of is Erwinia carotovora. Calla rhizomes, stems, and leaves can be infected with Erwinia bacterium.
The disease is easily diagnosed by the characteristic water-soaking of tissue, collapse of stems, and a foul odor reminiscent of rotting garbage. It generally begins as a soft rot at the base of the stem, near the soil level. Rhizomes become infected later, and then the bacteria travel upward and the leaves become blighted. Affected plants appear stunted with yellow foliage. The entire plant eventually wilts and dies.

I know the treatment for this is phyton 27 bactericide if you can get it in time. Let's just hope that that is not what is wrong. Can you post a picture? One picture is worth 1000 words.

John

 

Hi Lynddear and welcome, I think, probably, the plant is having to much water, apart from the atrocious weather conditions you are also watering it and force feeding it. My advice would be to leave it alone for now and see what happens. Mine has only just flowered and has only 1 flower spike too but I put it down to the wet weather. David.

 

David, are you certain? I keep mine in my pond (two of them) all summer. Fully submerged. A couple of other members of my GC do the same. Had mine now for 4 or 5 years and no prob. I'll try to post a pic. if I can find the camera.

John

 

Yes I was always under the impression that they like their roots wet.

 

I think we are getting our plants mixed up here. I am talking about the coloured Callas which are tender to semi-hardy and prefer to grow in pots in full sun or part shade and need to be taken indoors over the winter. The one I think you are talking abot is the common, white, arum lily which, as you say, thrives in water. David.