Calla Lilies get a bad rap, namely, I believe, because so many of us saw them in our parents wedding photos; - crisp white callas bound with a ribbon, adorning the hands of the bride and her entourage. Between that and the terrible fake calla lilies that were so prominently displayed in malls and department stores during the ‘90s and aughts, they catch heat for looking “old fashioned.” Fortunately, we’re here to introduce you to “Midnight” calla lilies – the striking eggplant purple variety of calla lilies that appear almost black in certain lights. We feature these dark ladies in our newest Halloween bouquet.

About Calla Lilies

These black calla lilies are our testament to all things, dark, moody, seductive, and spooky. The color is a glossy purple/black that strikes such an interesting contrast against the flowers’ graceful green stems. So, let’s dig a little deeper into what makes these flowers so special.

Calla Lilies are “tender perennials” meaning they can return year after year but only tolerate warm, tropical temperatures. They grow from bulb-like rhizomes, though they’re not related to other bulb flowers (like tulips or ranunculus) and they can be cultivated as garden plants or as houseplants! Even if you don’t live somewhere warm, you can still overwinter your calla lilies indoors. You’ll need to take some special steps to force the rhizomes into dormancy - digging the rhizomes up, drying, and keeping them cool - but if you receive one of our potted calla lilies (like The Hepburn, coming in November) this fall, you can enjoy the blooms again next year!

Styling

So they’re very dramatic and striking; on that, we obviously agree. But how do we design with midnight calla lilies? What’s the best way to use them for Fall or Halloween Decor?

You ask amazing questions! Calla Lilies are what I consider a “form” flower (as opposed to “focal,” like roses; or “textural” like eucalyptus). For me, this means that they need to be used in a way that allows a viewer to really appreciate their unique, trumpet shape and glossy look. For the most dramatic effect, these dark beauties will make an impression in a single variety arrangement, i.e. a bouquet of only calla lilies. A plain glass vase can certainly show these stems well, but I find they’re much more appealing in an opaque or ceramic vase, especially when the vase complements their willowy stems.

The stoneware pitcher that we used in the image above allows the calla lilies to splay out gracefully and almost dance through the container. Ideally, you’ll cut your callas tall enough that you can see the entire blossom sitting above the lip of your containers as well. Calla Lilies have pretty faces, but their shape reminds one of swishing skirts and dramatic black leather accessories and why not celebrate that?

But what if I prefer mixed arrangements? Then fine, turn down my advice, but fortunately I still have tips to make your bouquet look phenomenal. Calla Lilies look especially gorgeous when they’re paired with very textural compliments. Contrast is always what catches the human eye first – it’s why school buses are yellow, they’re brighter than most of their surroundings and catch the eye for riders and pedestrians alike. Midnight calla lilies are so soft and glossy that the best way to create contrast is with rough and very earthy textures.

You can use deeply pigmented foliages like Safari Sunset Leucadendron or “Smokebush” (Cotinus) to infuse ochre and red tones into your arrangement, or make things a little more avant garde! For Charli XCX’s Birthday Party in Los Angeles, BRRCH Floral created an incredible bouquet of midnight calla lilies accented with dyed orchids, green amaranthus, white delphinium, and Parliament cigarettes. Even without the smokes, the bouquet is a striking explosion of rich color and attention-grabbing texture!

So, to recap — calla styling in brief:

• Trim your callas so that the entire bloom is on display, floating another other stems and a couple of inches above the lip of the vase
• Display them single variety in an asymmetrical or hand-worked vase for greatest impact
• If you want to introduce any foliage or additional stems, focus on stems that will create textural contrasts with the sleek calla lily flowers
• Place your finished arrangement out of reach of little hands or paws - these stunning blooms aren’t pet safe.

From your favorite floral designer, Happy Halloween! If you decorate with midnight calla lilies, tag @urbanstems. I can’t wait to see what you create!