How does a plant get its common name? Calla Lily has a few common names. They include Pig Lily, White Arum, Trumpet Lily, Florist's Calla, Garden Calla and Arum Lily. One site tells me that the word Calla comes from the Greek term for beautiful. The Merriam Webster dictionary site says that the origin of Calla Lily is new latin, genus name, modification of Greek kallaia rooster's wattles.
Two well-known artists made Calla Lilies a frequent subject of their work: Georgia O'Keeffe painted Calla Lilies many times with swirling, flowing lines. Robert Maplethorpe photographed them in black and white with light shining through the flowers.
