CALLISIA ORIGINATES IN MEXICO AND IS INDIGENOUS TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF SOUTH AMERICA. IT CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT MANY AREAS OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES AS WELL AS THE WEST INDIES. BECAUSE IT IS A SUB-TROPICAL PLANT, IT PERFORMS BEST IN USDA ZONES 9-11 BUT WILL DO WELL IN COOLER PARTS OF COASTAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE IT IS QUITE POPULAR.
THE WORD CALLISIA COMES FROM LATIN WHICH TRANSLATED MEANS BEAUTIFUL LILY. CALLISIA IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR A BROMELIAD OR A LILY. IT HAS OFTEN BEEN CONFUSED WITH THE SPIDER PLANT BECAUSE IT GROWS LIKE THE SPIDER PLANT WHICH KICKS OUT YOUNG PUPS (PLANTLETS) AS THE STOLONS (RUNNERS) EXTEND OUT FROM THE MAIN PARENT PLANT. CALLISIA IS EXCEEDINGLY EASY TO GROW AND CAN BE PROPAGATED VERY QUICKLY BY TAKING CUTTINGS FROM EITHER THE STOLONS THAT EXTEND OUT FROM THE MAIN PLANT OR FROM THE PLANTLETS THAT GROW FROM THE STOLONS THEMSELVES.
THE EASE OF PROPAGATION MAKES THIS AN EXCELLENT PLANT TO GIVE AS GIFTS TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IT'S VERSATILITY AS AN EASY TO GROW HERBACEOUS SUCCULENT ALLOWS THE GARDENER TO GROW IT BOTH INDOORS AND OUTDOORS ALL YEAR LONG. IT EASILY GROWS ON THE GROUND FORMING A BEAUTIFUL DENSE GLOSSY GREEN GROUND COVER IN THE SHADE THAT CAN TRANSFORM INTO GREEN WITH FANTASTIC HUES OF PURPLE ALONG THE LEAVES WHEN EXPOSED TO STRONG SUNLIGHT. FOR THOSE OF YOU IN COLDER CLIMATES, YOU CAN TAKE CUTTINGS FROM YOUR OUTDOOR CALLISIA AS THE FALL/WINTER MONTHS APPROACH SO THAT YOU CAN GROW THEM IN YOUR HANGING BASKET INDOORS UNTIL THE SPRING WHEN THEY CAN BE SET FREE TO ONCE AGAIN SELF PROPAGATE!!
IN WARMER CLIMATES CALLISIA CAN BE GROWN AS A PERRENIAL EVERGREEN OUTDOORS OR INDOORS WHERE IT MAKES A WONDERFUL HOUSE PLANT WHETHER GROWN IN AN ORNAMENTAL POT OR A HANGING BASKET.
GROWN INDOORS, CALLISIA PROVIDES THE ADDED BENEFIT OF PURIFYING INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS. THIS IS A PLANT THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE JOY TO THE HAPPY GARDENER ALL YEAR LONG.
BECAUSE IT CAN BE BROUGHT INDOORS, IT CAN BE TRANSFORMED FROM AN ANNUAL IN COLDER LOCATIONS TO AN INDOOR PERRENIAL. CALLISIA CAN CHANGE IT'S APPEARANCE DEPENDING ON LIGHTING CONDITIONS. IN BRIGHT LIGHT THE LEAVES WILL OFTEN LAY FLAT TAKING ON THE TYPICAL CLUSTERED APPEARANCE OF A BROMELIAD (HENCE THE NAME "FALSE BROMELIAD"). IN PART SUN TO MORE SHADED CONDITIONS IT ADOPTS THE CHARACTER OF A DRACENA WITH IT'S LEAVES TAKING ON A MORE UPRIGHT HABIT. DURING LATE WINTER AND SPRING, CALLISIA PRODUCES SMALL, CLUSTERED, EXTREMELY FRAGRANT WHITE FLOWERS THAT CAN BE SEEN ON THE TIPS OF LONG STEMS THAT EXTEND OUTWARD FROM THE MAIN PLANT. THE SWEET SCENT ATTRACTS BOTH BEES AND BUTTERFLIES.
GROWING YOUR CALLISIA
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT AND VERY EASY TO GROW PLANT FOR ANY GARDEN NEWBIES. TO GET YOUR CALLISIA STARTED, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ROOTING HORMONES OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL TECHNIQUES. JUST TUCK THE STEM OF YOUR CUTTING INTO MOIST SOIL SO THAT YOU HAVE GOOD CONTACT WITH THE SOIL ITSELF. NEW ROOTS WILL EVENTUALLY FORM FROM ANY AREA OF THE STEM THAT IS IN CONTACT WITH SOIL.
NOTE THAT YOUR CUTTINGS DO NOT REQUIRE ROOTS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY PROPAGATE YOUR CALLISIA WHICH WILL READILY ROOT EVEN WHEN THE STEMS SIMPLY MAKE CONTACT WITH BARE SOIL!
AIR ROOTS WILL READILY FORM ALONG THE STEMS WHICH CAN THEN BE PLANTED WHERE THEY WILL TRANSFORM INTO A FULL SET OF NEW ROOTS.
AS NEW RUNNERS FORM, TINY NEW PLANTS CAN BE SEEN EMERGING FROM THE RUNNERS.
YOU CAN CUT THESE TINY NEW PLANTLETS AND USE THEM TO CREATE A NEW MOTHER PLANT THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PRODUCE NEW PLANTLETS AS NEW TENTACLES/RUNNERS FORM.
WHEN GROWN IN THE WILD OR AS A GROUND COVER, THE TENTACLE LIKE RUNNERS CAN EXTEND UP TO 35 INCHES OR MORE FROM THE MAIN MOTHER PLANT. SMALL NEW ROOTS WILL ALSO FORM FROM THE TENTACLES FROM WHICH NEW PLANTLETS CAN OFTEN BE SEEN FORMING FROM THE TENTACLES.
SOIL: WILL TOLERATE MOST WELL DRAINING SOIL. CALLISIA IS RELATIVELY SALT TOLERANT IF YOU LIVE ALONG COASTAL WATERS. YOUR PLANT WILL FLOURISH BEST IN A WELL DRAINING, GRITTY LOAM THAT IS RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER. ALTHOUGH TOLERANT OF A WIDE RANGE OF SOIL PH, CALLISIA SEEMS TO DO BEST IN PH RANGES FROM 6 TO 7.8
IF YOUR GARDEN IS HOT AND DRY, KEEPING YOUR SOIL MOIST OR WET BUT NOT DRENCHED WILL IMPROVE GROWTH.
IF YOU INTEND TO GROW YOUR CALLISIA IN A CONTAINER, IT WOULD BE BEST TO USE A HIGH QUALITY POTTING SOIL THAT IS EITHER SOIL OR PEAT BASED AND RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER. A GOOD HOME MADE POTTING MIX WOULD BE AN EQUAL COMBINATION OF ORGANIC COMPOST, PEAT MOSS, SAND, AND PERLITE OR VERMICULITE.
WATER: PREFERS REGULAR WATERING WITH JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE SOIL MOIST BUT DO NOT ALLOW WATER TO POOL AROUND THE ROOT SYSTEM WHICH MAY ENCOURAGE FUNGUS AND EVENTUAL ROOT ROT WHICH MIGHT KILL YOUR YOUNG PLANT. ALTHOUGH CALLISIA IS A SUCCULENT AND THEREFORE RELATIVELY DROUGHT TOLERANT, LONG PERIODS OF DRY WEATHER IN THE ABSENCE OF IRRIGATION CAN LEAD TO LEAVES THAT TAKE ON A DROOPED APPEARANCE. LEAF TIPS MAY ALSO APPEAR CRACKED IF YOUR PLANT BECOMES TOO DRY. IF GROWN OUTDOORS, REGULAR IRRIGATION WITH A SPRINKLER SYSTEM WILL SUFFICE BUT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY IF YOU HAVE GOOD RAINFALL EVERY FEW DAYS.
SUNLIGHT: THE BEST FEATURE ABOUT CALLISIA IS THAT IT CAN BE GROWN IN A WIDE RANGE OF CONDITIONS FROM FULL SHADE WHEN GROWN AS A DECORATIVE UNDERSTORY OR GROUND COVER PLANT TO MEDIUM SUN LIGHT. YOUR PLANT WILL THRIVE IF IT RECEIVES AT LEAST 3 TO 4 HOURS OF SUNLIGHT PER DAY WEATHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT. BEAR IN MIND THAT YOUR CALLISIA CAN GO FROM A DARK GLOSSY GREEN WHEN GROWN IN SHADE OR LOW LIGHT TO A PURPLE HUE IF GROWN IN INTENSE SUNLIGHT. CALLISIA CAN ALSO TAKE ON A DIFFERENT GROWTH HABIT DEPENDING ON THE INTENSITY OF THE SUNLIGHT. IN BRIGHT LIGHT THE LEAVES WILL OFTEN LAY FLAT TAKING ON THE CLUSTERED APPEARANCE OF A BROMELIAD WHILE IN PART SUN TO MORE SHADED CONDITIONS YOUR CALLISIA CAN GROW LIKE A DRACENA WITH IT'S LEAVES ADOPTING A MORE UPRIGHT HABIT. YOUR PLANT CAN GROW UP TO 3 FEET AND MAY NEED SUPPORT TO PREVENT THE TRUNK FROM SNAPPING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE PLANT AS IT GROWS TALLER.
FERTILIZER: CALLISIA DOES NOT HAVE DEMANDING FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS AND CAN DO FAIRLY WELL WITHOUT EXPENSIVE FERTILIZERS PROVIDED YOU HAVE DECENT QUALITY SOIL IN YOUR GARDEN OR YOU USE A GOOD QUALITY POTTING SOIL THAT IS RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER. TO IMPROVE GROWTH YOU CAN USE ANY GOOD QUALITY FERTILIZER FOR FLOWERING PLANTS THAT CAN BE ADDED TO YOUR IRRIGATING WATER. YOU MAY TREAT YOUR PLANTS ON A MONTHLY BASIS BUT THIS IS NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. AS AN ALTERNATIVE YOU CAN ALSO SPRINKLE YOUR PLANTS WITH A SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS.
PLEASE PLANT YOUR CALLISIA PLANT AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE IT. BECAUSE CALLISIA IS A SUCCULENT YOUR PLANT SHOULD TOLERATE SHIPPING WELL. HOWEVER, IF YOUR PLANT APPEARS A BIT DROOPY ON ARRIVAL, YOU MAY HYDRATE YOUR PLANT WITH DISTILLED, SPRING OR REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER. NEVER USE CHLORINATED WATER ON YOUNG PLANTS, MANY OF THEM DON'T TOLERATE IT WELL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT GROWING YOUR TREE, PLEASE MESSAGE ME IMMEDIATELY. I LOVE GARDENING AND I WANT ALL MY BUYERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR PLANTS SO THEY CAN ENJOY GARDENING AS MUCH AS I DO. BLESSINGS! :)
IF YOUR PLANT ARRIVES DAMAGED BEYOND VIABILITY THEN CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY WITH PICTURES OF YOUR PLANT STILL SECURED IN THE BOX SO THAT I CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DO MY BEST TO KEEP ALL MY CUSTOMERS HAPPY SO PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK BEFORE ALLOWING ME A CHANCE TO MAKE THE SITUATION RIGHT. HOWEVER, I CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE DUE TO FAILURE TO WATER YOUR PLANT, LEAVING IT IN EXCESSIVELY HIGH HEAT/SUNLIGHT OR LOW/FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
PLEASE READ!! IMPORTANT NOTICE: DUE TO THE SITUATION WITH THE PANDEMIC ISSUE, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS HAD DIFFICULTY DELIVERING PACKAGES THAT SHOULD BE DELIVERED WITHIN 2 TO 3 DAYS (IE: FIRST CLASS 2 TO 3 DAY SHIPPING) WHICH IS THE METHOD I MAINLY USE FOR ALMOST ALL OF MY PACKAGES. UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAS NOT BEEN HAPPENING IN QUITE A FEW OF MY SHIPMENTS WHICH HAS RESULTED IN CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION BECAUSE PLANTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED THAT WERE NO LONGER VIABLE (IE: DEAD OR DYING)
THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS ADMITTED ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT THEY ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH DELIVERIES DUE TO BEING SHORT STAFFED AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. I DO NOT LIKE TO DISAPPOINT MY CUSTOMERS AND HAVE BEEN SENDING OUT REPLACEMENT PLANTS AT MY COST BUT I AM NOT FINANCIALLY ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING SO. FOR THIS REASON, AND IN THE INTEREST OF HONESTY AND MAINTAINING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, I CAN ONLY PROVIDE PARTIAL REFUNDS (50%) IF PLANTS ARRIVE EITHER DAMAGED, DO NOT ARRIVE ON TIME AS SHIPPED, OR ARE MISSING ALTOGETHER. THESE ARE PROBLEMS WHICH BOTH MYSELF AND MY CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WHICH IS DRIVING UP MY COSTS TO MAINTAIN GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO ORDERING. DO NOT ORDER IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO TAKE THE CHANCE THAT YOUR PACKAGE MAY NOT ARRIVE IN A TIMELY FASHION OR IN GOOD CONDITION DUE TO PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE POSTAL SERVICE WILL NOT INSURE PERISHABLE ITEMS. PLANTS ARE PERISHABLE. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO COVER THE COST OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING (SUCH AS OVERNIGHT ETC) THEN YOU CAN MESSAGE ME AND WE WILL DISCUSS OTHER OPTIONS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR PLANT ARRIVES IN A TIMELY FASHION. HOPEFULLY THE PANDEMIC WILL END SOON AND WE WILL ALL BE BACK TO NORMAL. IN THE MEANTIME I PRAY THAT YOU AND ALL OF YOUR LOVED ONES REMAIN SAFE AND HEALTHY DURING THIS TRYING PERIOD.
AS ALWAYS, I WILL DO THE BEST THAT I CAN TO WORK WITH MY BUYERS BUT I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH UNDER THESE ADVERSE SITUATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND PURCHASES. HAVE A GREAT DAY AND HAPPY GARDENING.