Zantedeschia aethiopica is the one arum or calla lily that may be either deciduous like all the others, or evergreen where moisture and milder temperatures allow. Gardeners can achieve this through watering or planting them in the "wet spot".

This is the arum with the largest geographical distribution; from the Cape Peninsula all along the south and the east coast through KwaZulu-Natal, as well as inland in Mpumalanga and Limpopo. The rhizomes are popular porcupine food, supporting their survival amidst the gradually shrinking land claim of both species.

The dense fruit structure, a little like a miniature pineapple, is even more so when the ripening fruits turn orange.