Calochortus nudus
A North American native perennial bulbous geophyte in the lily family from California and Oregon, growing in wet meadows and lakeside bogs at 1000–2500 m, with a short unbranched stem and pinkish to lavender, bell-shaped flowers.
Common Names
Naked Mariposa Lily, Naked Star Tulip
Summary
Naked mariposa lily is a bulbous perennial herb native to California and Oregon, with a short, usually unbranched stem 10–25 cm tall and a persistent basal leaf 5–15 cm long. The inflorescence bears one to several erect, bell-shaped flowers with a white to pale lavender perianth; sepals 10–12 mm, petals 14–16 mm, glabrous and without cilia. The fruit is a capsule about 2 cm long, and flowering occurs May–July in moist grassy areas, lake and bog margins at elevations 1200–2500 m.
In cultivation, it prefers sun to partial shade with very low water and should not be irrigated once established. It naturally grows in moist meadows, lake margins, and wetland-riparian and forest plant communities; has an edible bulb used by Indigenous peoples.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4-12 inches
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade.
Soil Type
Moist soil
Soil Drainage
Moist soil
Bloom Color
Pale lavender
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- S.Watson
- Publication
- Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 263 (1879)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Liliales
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Calochortus