AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
Question My lilies have grown beautifully but the petals are now all green instead of white and purple. I've also noticed that inside one of the lily is compacted with something green it looks a bit weird, do you know whats going on?
Answer Hi Mary,
Thanx for your question about Zantedeschia aethiopica.
The spathe (the white hood of the flower) turns green after flowering and covers the ripening berries (most likely, the compacted green structure to which you refer...). It rots away when the berries are ripe and the succulent yellow berries attract birds, which are responsible for seed dispersal.
