Native Plants
Plant Database
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Calochortus elegans
Calochortus elegans Pursh
Elegant Mariposa Lily
Liliaceae (Lily Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: CAEL
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
A small plant with slender, bent stems and a few white flowers in a branched cluster shorter than the single grass-like leaf.
The name Star Tulip refers to the flower's shape and Cat's Ears to the petal's resemblance to a kitten's ear. Similar species are distinguished by characteristics of the gland and pod.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 8 inches tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , PurpleBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: CA , ID , MT , OR , WANative Distribution: Southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon to western Montana.
Native Habitat: Grassy hillsides and open coniferous woods.
Bibliography
Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. KatSearch More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Calochortus elegans in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Calochortus elegans in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Calochortus elegans
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-04-10Research By: TWC Staff