White Fairy Lantern

Did you know

• The globe-shaped, nodding flowers look exactly like small paper lanterns or fairy lights hanging among the dry chaparral grasses — a magical appearance that inspired the common name.
• The genus Calochortus means 'beautiful grass' in Greek, reflecting the grass-like basal leaves that emerge before the flowers appear.
• It is endemic to California and grows mainly in the dry shade of oak woodlands and chaparral, often in serpentine soils.
• Many Calochortus species were eaten by Native Californians; the bulbs were an important food source, roasted or boiled like small potatoes.
• The genus contains over 60 species of 'mariposa lilies' and 'fairy lanterns,' virtually all native to western North America, making it a remarkable example of local plant diversification.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental
• native plant gardening