Mini Calla Lilies

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Saturday at the markets yielded some new and interesting finds. Among them were these spectacular yellow mini calla lilies. Large white calla lilies are a very common flower in Manila’s wholesale flower markets. They are typically a graceful flower, but for some reason, the large white ones sold here often look tired and perhaps, overbred, if you can imagine what I mean. They are so plentiful and economically priced that they figure prominently in church flowers for mass, weddings and even funerals. Nevertheless, when I see a fresh bunch of large white callas they still look good in a modern glass vase… But these mini colored callas are a different story all together… they are one of the “hottest” blooms if you are to take the arrangements in Architectural Digest or other such magazines over the past 2-3 years as your guide to what is in style…

Grown from bulbs, the country that is churning mini callas out in a stunning variety of colors is not Holland, but New Zealand. The last time I was in New York, boxes calla2and boxes of stunning mini colored callas were being unloaded at the markets, airflown from New Zealand. They are sought after because of their graceful lines, longevity (up to 2 weeks if cared for properly) and color. So I was intrigued to see several bunches of colored callas at the Salcedo market last Saturday. Grown in Tagaytay by Blooming Bulbs Flower Farm (0917-9127027), they were PHP250 for a bunch of six flowers. Pricey, yes, but worth it. I once found them at the Dimasalang market at PHP20 a stem and I bought several dozen figuring I had hit the bloom jackpot that night. In other countries, these can run up to PHP150 a piece. Last year a few of my plant sukis sold these potted for say PHP150 and up per plant. I think these look best when massed in a very modern glass or crystal container. I would take a huge vase of these over the more traditional Easter lilies this week…

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6 Responses

  1. I’m crazy about calla lilies. There’s that majestic allure in them that makes one thank nature and MM for featuring these beauties. I saw this garden in France with a few huge ones in bloom as a background to tea roses, superb.

    And have a nice trip to Europe, and don’t forget to bring back your kid with you! Bon voyage a toute la famille!

  2. I used the same yellow Calla Lilies for my wedding bouquet 2 years ago. My wedding was held in the morning and it was a bit hot that day, but these flowers really held up. It didn’t even wilt until after a week, besides that they looked absolutely gorgeous. But I think I payed the florist a lot more for 1 bouquet, which had 8 lilies.

  3. Jackpot! Such valuable info about where to source it in Manila. I need a bunch of callas (yellow, lime green and orange) for a wedding bouquet this Dec. Not mine though. You just gave me the link to that Blooming Bulbs company. Can you also give me a contact number for that Dimasalang suki of yours? I’m based here in Iloilo and such varieties seldom reach us. Thanks.

  4. joy, these flowers are still “rare” in the Manila floral scene… I think April/May are when the few growers that have them sell them. However, in Dimasalang there are some stores that carry imported stems that are pricey but gorgeous. If you can order a week in advance, the firm Holland Tulips can bring them in for you but they are a wholesaler. I think they are in the yellow pages… I have never seen lime green callas here in Manila…