Triteleia lilacina
California-endemic perennial that grows from a corm with 2–3 basal leaves up to 40 cm long, an erect inflorescence up to 60 cm tall, and an umbel-like cluster of white, bowl-shaped flowers with a glassy center and purplish stamens on pedicels, typically on dry volcanic soils in the Central Valley and adjacent Sierra Nevada foothills.
Common Names
Foothill Triteleia, Lilac Pretty Face, Lilac-Flowered Wild Hyacinth
Summary
Endemic to California's Central Valley and adjacent Sierra Nevada foothills, this corm-bearing perennial herb grows with 2–3 basal leaves up to 40 cm long and 2 cm wide; an erect scape to 60 cm bears an umbel-like cluster of white, bowl-shaped flowers with glasslike vesicles in the center and six purplish anthers, blooming in spring (March–June) on dry rocky sites.
In cultivation, it thrives in full sun with regular watering while active and dries during dormancy, and prefers rich, well-drained soil; hardy in USDA zones 7a–10b; native to dry hillsides and volcanic soils of California; supports bees.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1-2 feet
Spread
4-12 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7a-10b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun.
Soil Type
Rich, well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring
Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Seasons of Interest
Spring
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Greene
- Publication
- Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2(6): 143 (1886)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Triteleia
Synonyms
Hesperoscordum lilacinum Triteleia hyacinthina var. greenei Brodiaea hyacinthina var. greenei Brodiaea lilacina