If you’re planning to use the blue Calla lily in an upcoming event or you simply like looking at them, you’ve probably seen the wide range of shades these flowers come in while scrolling through Pinterest or Instagram.
This lovely flower looks so unique and unfamiliar that you can’t help but stare. However, you may be surprised to learn that it doesn’t occur naturally.
A blue Calla lily can serve as a statement flower in your arrangement just as well as it can blend with other flowers. It can also work in practically any setting, whether it’s a wedding, a birthday, a party, an anniversary, or a funeral.
Today, we’re discussing everything related to blue Calla lilies including their origin, meaning, occurrence, production, and care. Keep reading to find out more about these intriguing beauties.
What is a Blue Calla Lily?
The Calla lily is an African-native perennial flowering plant. It belongs to the family Araceae, more specifically the genus Zantedeschia.
This herbaceous flowering plant possesses an outstanding shape with long stems and decorative leaves. It exists in a wide range of vibrant colors, which makes them attractive houseplants and valuable flowers for commercial purposes.
While they’re called lilies, Callas aren’t true lilies. The blossoms are leaflike and more related to philodendron and caladium where the colored petal resembles a large modified leaf and the central spike is the actual flower.
In nature, Calla lilies occur in several types and can be white (most common), purple, red, orange, yellow, pink, or even black. Note how we didn’t mention the color blue.
This is because a Calla lily with a wholly or partially blue petal isn’t a natural occurrence.
It may refer to the Nightlife variety, which has a really deep shade of purple that sometimes gives off a subtle blue tone in the right lighting, but other than that, blue calla lilies are artificially made.
Do Blue Calla Lilies Exist in Nature?
Calla lilies occur in a wide range of colors in nature. The most common one is white, but you can also find them in shades of purple, orange, pink, red, yellow, and black.
As for blue, we established above that it doesn’t happen naturally. You won’t find a Calla lily with a wholly or partially blue petal growing in the wild.
In fact, there are very few blue flowers out there. The color is so rare in nature that less than 1 in 10 plants possess blue flowers.
Colors in plants occur by mixing different pigments that exist naturally. The reason why blue is so rare is the same reason why red or purple is so common, the pigments required for producing each color are either scarcely or readily available.
There isn’t a true blue pigment in nature, so the plant has to resort to a bunch of light tricks to appear blue. This is quite difficult to achieve.
What is the Meaning of a Blue Calla Lily?
Calla lilies are gorgeous flowers that hold a special place in history and always have a front seat reserved in the trends.
The distinctive look of Calla lilies makes for beautiful, classy arrangements that can easily turn up the elegance factor of your ceremony or event. They’re rather versatile flowers that you can rely on for just about any occasion, from bridal bouquets to mothers’ day gifts to baptism or funeral decor.
That said, every color of a Calla lily bears a certain significance that can guide you when you’re trying to choose the right shade for an occasion.
When it comes to blue color in Calla lilies, it gives a surreal impression that lets you know you’re in for a magical time. The blue color is associated with royalty and elegance; a symbol of sophistication and class.
Blue Calla lilies also convey a message of peace, tranquility, and serenity. It makes for a chic arrangement and a well-meaning gift.
How do Florists Make a Blue Calla Lily?
As we discussed above, there are no naturally occurring blue Calla lilies. So how come they’re available at some florists?
There are two possible explanations for this: the blue lilies could be artificial or they could be real but dyed.
Just like any other type of artificial flower, Calla lilies can be made using blue silk or crafted from blue EVA foam. In both cases, the resulting flowers will look lifelike and you may mistake them for the real deal.
This approach is easier to execute, less costly, and less time-consuming. It also produces more vibrant and precise shades of blue.
That said, many people prefer using real flowers in their events. Not to mention, gifting bouquets is far more agreeable when the flowers are real.
As such, a need for real Calla lilies in the color blue has emerged. To make this possible, florists use a bunch of different dyeing methods to color the flowers’ petals in the desired pattern and shade of blue.
Here are 3 common ways to dye a Calla lily blue:
1. Spray Dye
In this method, you need to buy floral spray dye like this light blue one or this larkspur blue one. Floral spray dye comes in cans similar to regular spray paint and is also applied the same way on both fresh and dried flowers.
Don’t worry though, the formulas of floral spray dyes are designed to not harm the flowers. They’re typically transparent or semi-transparent to color the flowers without covering up their natural features.
Spray dyeing a flower’s petals can help them lock in moisture, prolonging the period they look fresh. However, the main downside to this method is the mess it creates.
You can start with a Calla lily of any color as the dye will cover it, but we recommend using white Calla lilies for the best-looking results. Here’s how to do it:
- Move the flower and the spray dye can to a dedicated workspace to minimize the mess. Make sure the area is well-ventilated and consider laying down some newspaper or an old cloth to catch excess paint.
- Wear rubber gloves then shake the can of spray dye to prepare it for application. About 30 seconds should be enough and don’t forget to keep the cap on while shaking.
- Remove the cap and direct the nozzle opening towards the flower. Spray from a distance of about 15 inches away from the flower.
- If you want to color the entire petal, then simply spray it until the blue color is spread all over it as evenly as possible.
If you want to color certain parts of the petal, we recommend using some first-aid tape to cover the parts you don’t want to color then spray as normal. When you remove the tape after you’re done, only the exposed parts will be colored.
- Transfer the Calla lily to a vase and leave it to completely dry. This may take a few hours, but you can speed things up by making sure the room is dry and warm.
2. Dip Dye
This method can work in two ways: you either dip the petal directly or dip the freshly-cut stem. You’ll need to purchase a floral dip dye in the desired color from an online platform (we love this teal blue) or via your florist.
Dipping petal directly
If you’re opting for this approach, keep in mind that you’ll only be coloring the parts of the flower that make contact with the dye. Also, using white Calla lilies is preferable to achieve a bright color since dip dyes aren’t very opaque.
- In a bowl or a deep container, prepare a generous amount of the dye according to the instructions. Leave the dye as is if you like the intensity of the color, or dilute with some isopropyl alcohol if you want to turn it down a bit.
- Transfer to a container onto newspaper or an old cloth to keep splatter stains at a minimum.
- Hold the Calla lily upside down so that the petal is facing the dye mixture.
- Dip the petal and keep it in contact with the dye for about 5 to 10 seconds.
- Take out the flower and rinse it with water.
- Place the lily into a vase with water and proper plant food.
Dipping the stem
This approach is basically the same as the petal one, but with two main differences:
- You dip the freshly-cut stem of the Calla lily instead of the petal.
- You keep the stem dipped in the dye for at least an hour (the time varies depending on the brand) before transferring it to a vase with water and plant food.
3. Absorption Dye
This last method is based on the idea that the flower will absorb the color through its stem until it reaches its petal. As such, it’s best to use white Calla lilies to ensure that the blue turns out as vibrant as possible.
Once you have your flower(s) lined up, you need to get some blue food color or a special floral absorption dye. Here are the steps:
- In a vase, mix the food color with enough water to submerge the stem of the flower. The more color you add, the more intense the blue you’re going to get. Add less food color for a lighter shade of blue.
- Cut the stem of the lily at a 45-degree angle, removing 1 or 2 inches off. This supports absorption to decrease the dyeing time. You can also leave your flower without water for around 30 minutes to make it thirsty so it takes up the colored water more quickly.
- Put the Calla lily in the colored water and wait for at least an hour to get a nice hue in the petal. The longer you let the flower sit in the water with the dye, the more intense the color of the petal will be.
- Once you reach a satisfactory result, take the blue Calla lily out of the dye solution and transfer it into another vase with warm water and plant food. The color will stay in the petals until the flower dies.
How Can You Get a Blue Calla Lily?
If you want a blue Calla lily, the two options are the only ways to make it happen:
Buy Artificial
The easiest route to getting a blue Calla lily is to buy an artificial one. You can find hundreds of options -typically made out of silk or foam, on Amazon, Etsy, and other online stores.
While buying artificial blue Calla lilies doesn’t have the feel of the real thing, it does have its perks such as:
- A wide variety of blue shades to pick from.
- You can choose your preferred color distribution. For example, blue on the whole petal, on the edges only, or fading from the center out.
- The flowers don’t require maintenance except for an occasional dust swipe.
- Less effort and money spent.
Grow and Dye Natural
Instead of buying artificial blue Calla lilies, you can plant or buy white Calla lilies and use one of the methods we discussed above to dye them blue.
If you’re growing your own Calla lilies, make sure you use well-drained soil and a high-quality potting mix. Place them in a spot with direct sunlight that occasionally experiences shade.
Additionally, keep Calla lilies out of kids’ and pets’ reach because these flowers are quite toxic.
How to Care for a Blue Calla Lily after Applying the Dye
Caring for a dyed blue Calla lily is the same as caring for any Calla lily. Here as some tips to help you out:
- Water once or twice a week. You want to avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
- Keep the temperature around the flower at around 75 to 80 degrees F.
- Add a balanced liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks.
Wrap Up
There you have it, everything you need to know about a blue Calla lily. These flowers don’t exist in this color in nature, but you can either buy artificial blue ones or dye white Calla lilies blue if you want to use them for an upcoming occasion.