Wikimedia Commons
Liliaceae
Mariposa Lily
Calochortus venustus
Delicate beauty and transformation.
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Calochortus
- Native to
- California, Western United States
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- bulb
- Height
- 8-24 in
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, rocky, sandy
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 5-10
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Mariposa means 'butterfly' in Spanish, and the name was inspired by the delicate, wing-like petals of the flower.
- Mormon pioneers ate mariposa lily bulbs to survive during their first harsh winters in Utah, earning them the name 'sego lily.'
- The petals often display intricate eye-like spots and patterns that are unique to each individual flower, like fingerprints.
- Calochortus is one of the most diverse bulb genera in North America, with over 70 species found mostly in western states.
- The genus name comes from Greek words meaning 'beautiful grass,' referring to the slender grass-like leaves.
Color meanings
0
beauty
1
grace
2
transformation
3
hope