Callas can often be seen at a funeral. These flowers are unusual: a bright yellow pestle and snow-white petals fascinate with their beauty. Why callas are the flowers of death, we will find out in today's article.

Callas: description of flowers with photos

Calla or, in other words, Callas is a flower that has a rather unusual appearance. The stem height sometimes reaches up to 1.5 m in height. The leaves of the plant are large, fleshy, bright green.

Elongated calla flowers crown a rounded tubular stem with shiny wax leaves.

The flower itself consists of a yellow cob, which looks like a wax candle and one wide petal, funnel-shaped.

Depending on the variety, callas can be white, black, red, yellow, blue.

The color of callas is diverse.

Popular plant species are as follows:

  1. "Ethiopian calla." As a rule, the color of the flowers is white or pale pink. Plant height up to 1 meter. The roots are deep under the ground. This is the difference between this variety and other species in which tubers are located on the surface.
  2. "Remanna." Low flower. The maximum height is 70 m. The palette of the petal is distinguished by its diversity, ranging from light pink to dark purple. The peculiarity is that in winter they hibernate. The flower completely discards the petal and leaves, only the bare stem can be observed from the ground.
  3. Eliott. The plant is not tall, up to 50 cm. Its highlight is large yellow flowers. This type of calla lilies is very fond of the sun.
Callas always evoke positive emotions.

Swamp calla is also found in nature. This plant can be found in water bodies. Flowers have a white or pinkish tint.They are often used in landscape design to decorate artificial ponds or lakes. But remember, this type of flower is poisonous.

Why callas are called flowers of death

There is a popular belief that callas are flowers that need to be carried in a cemetery. Why is that?

Callas are called the flower of death because of its appearance.

Perhaps the whole thing is in the unusual structure of the flower. The yellow center is associated with a candle, and the white petal with a shroud that covers the deceased.

Another suggestion is the timing of calla bloom. Few people know, but the plant blooms only at night. That is why it is often considered magical.

In Europe, callas are a constant companion of funerals.

A lot of mystical stories are associated with calla lilies. So, many argue that in the house she blossoms only when she feels the death of someone close to her.

Now you know why callas are called the flowers of death. But gardeners argue that these are only folk superstitions that you do not need to believe in.

Legend of Calla Origin

There are more than a few dozen legends about calla. But, not one of them is associated with death.

There are many beautiful legends associated with calla lilies. But the most interesting are the following:

  1. In one tribe lived a young, very beautiful girl. All the guys were delighted with her. She liked the old leader with an evil heart and vicious thoughts. He wanted to marry her by force. When the wedding ceremony was already prepared, the girl could not stand it and rushed into the fire. The flames of flame instantly enveloped her beautiful body. The gods could not bear her suffering and turned into a beautiful flower, which was reborn on the site of a fire. Since that time, many peoples callas - flowers that protect innocent girls.
  2. A young man from the tribe fell in love with the daughter of God. Such marriages were not welcome, and strict father decided to make the beauty invisible. But the young man loved the girl so sincerely that he still felt her presence next to him. After a while, he sewed a beautiful cloak of fresh white flowers, which he threw over invisibility. The father saw the true, sincere feelings of the lovers, and again made his daughter visible. The bedspread fell to the ground and snow-white callas grew in this place.
  3. Another legend has Greek roots. It tells us that Zeus brought his son to one of the goddesses, so that she could feed him. Putting the baby unnoticed, he hastened to leave. The goddess, unexpectedly waking up from a baby crying, was frightened, jumped up abruptly from the bed and a couple of drops of milk spilled onto the ground. Snow-white flowers immediately grew on this place. But the other goddess Venus, seeing them, envied her beauty, and imposed a curse. It was after this that the plant appeared a yellow thorn.

Signs and superstitions associated with the flower

Calla is not to everyone's liking. All this is due to the fact that, according to many, a plant can propagate death.

Callas can be dreamed by a person. Such a dream promises health, well-being, passion, new love.

We will talk about signs and superstitions below:

  1. In the UK, these flowers are usually brought to a funeral or planted in a cemetery. But to give a plant for a holiday is a bad taste.
  2. In most countries, white flowers do not bring to celebrations. They can bring misfortune and disease. Many modern florists believe that these superstitions are utter nonsense. After all, white is a sign of purity and innocence.
  3. Using a flower, you can determine the weather. Before the rain, the calla will open its petal, it will become noticeably larger. And in a dry, sultry time, it will spin around a yellowish cob.

Is it possible to keep callas in the house

Despite the fact that in modern society there is an opinion that calla is a flower of death, many historians are willing to argue with this.

Callas are associated with holiness, faith and purity.

The Bible mentions in passing that he grew up near the cross where Jesus was crucified. And in sculptures and ancient images, the plant personified purity and kindness. Many call it the flower of the Virgin Mary herself.

Gardeners believe that calla is a flower-amulet for the home. It absorbs negative energy, envy, anger, hatred. They say that if you had a fight with your beloved, put a flower in your room and in a couple of days the family will come back to peace.

Callas are considered a charm for the home.

Also, the plant is recommended to grow people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system.

In addition, the plant perfectly survives at home, does not require special attention and care.

Calla lilies in bouquets of brides

Recently, florists have been actively using callas in the preparation of bouquets for brides. They are taken as a basis, adding small flowers. Such bouquets do not look corny, spectacular, beautiful.

Fragile calla lilies will perfectly decorate the bride's bouquet.

It is important to choose the right color for the plant:

  • white - a symbol of purity, integrity, kindness;
  • red - indicates full trust and mutual understanding between spouses;
  • purple is a real symbol of passion and bright love;
  • yellow - symbolizes devotion.
In a wedding bouquet, callas can be both the basis and the complement.

Callas are beautiful and unusual flowers. Even in the Bible, the plant was mentioned as something gentle and immaculate. Recently, it has become fashionable for them to arrange wedding and idle bouquets, which they are happy to give to any celebration.

Similar:More from the author: