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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.

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Calochortus luteus (Yellow mariposa lily)
Miller, Holmes O.

Calochortus luteus

Calochortus luteus Douglas ex Lindl.

Yellow Mariposa Lily

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: CALU9

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The slender stems of this plant bear a few narrow leaves and at the top 1-4 large, deep yellow, bell-shaped flowers in an umbel-like cluster.

This species and some others frequently reproduce asexually by means of small "bulblets" in the leaf axils, which drop to the ground and grow into new plants.

 

From the Image Gallery

7 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: California Coast Ranges and western foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
Native Habitat: Heavy soil in grassland and open forests at low elevations.

Benefit

Use Food: Bulb consumed by indigenous peoples.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 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 luteus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Calochortus luteus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Calochortus luteus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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