Calla lilies have been favorite cut flowers for decades, mostly because of their year-round availability, and their wide variety of colors and sizes. They used to be most often used for funerals, but have become more popular for weddings and other special occasions.
Oddly enough, calla lilies are not true lilies. The botanist naming the plant for the first time made a mistake, and even though corrected, the term “lily” has stuck since then.
The name “Calla Lilies” is derived from a Greek word meaning “beauty”. However, during the Victorian Period (when flowers were given meanings to be interpreted by the recipient) the flower was associated with faith, purity, holiness, rebirth, and youth.
When used in floral arrangements, regular-sized calla lilies (as shown above) provide height to the arrangement with their long stems, drawing the eye away from the center of the arrangement. Miniature calla lilies (shown left) give a texture change and a primary eye-catcher to the arrangement.