Calochortus macrocarpus

Common Names

Sagebrush Mariposa Lily, Green-Banded Mariposa-Lily

Summary

Sagebrush Mariposa Lily is a western North American perennial geophyte with a deep papery-scaled bulb and a stout stem reaching about 8 to 23 inches in height; blue-green, grass-like basal leaves wither by bloom time support a flowering stem bearing 1 to 3 large, erect bell-shaped flowers that are pink to purple with a central green stripe and often a purple band above the bearded nectary; it is insect-pollinated and flowers from June to August in dry sagebrush scrub, yellow-pine forests, and open coniferous woodlands at elevations around 1,300 to 2,000 m; bulbs and flower buds are edible raw or cooked, with mashed bulbs used as a poultice for poison ivy rash.

Cultivation requires deeply drained sandy soil, full sun, and dry winters; very cold-hardy but intolerant of wet winters, with cultivation described as extremely difficult in moister temperate climates; propagation by seed or division of bulbs, seed sown when ripe or in early spring in sharply draining medium with about 5 to 6 weeks stratification, germination 1 to 6 months at 15°C, and 5 to 7 years to flower from seedlings; bulbs should be kept completely dry from midsummer to late fall, outplanting is best in late fall or early spring with spacing of 3 to 4 inches, and protection from gophers/moles is advised; hardy to USDA zones 3 to 7 and UK zone 3, commercially available for ornamental, wild, and edible uses.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

8-20 inches

Spread

1/2-4 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Deep, very well-drained fertile sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Very well-drained soil

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Light purple to purple, pink to purple, with some blooms having a green stripe down the center of each petal; wide range of colours.

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Blue-green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division of bulbs, Stem bulbils (bulblets)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators