Calochortus weedii

Common Names

Weed's Mariposa Lily

Summary

Weed's mariposa lily is a bulbous perennial geophyte in the Liliaceae native to southern California and Baja California, occurring in chaparral and coastal sage scrub from Santa Barbara County to San Diego County with an isolated population in Monterey County. The plant has slender, branching stems 30–90 cm tall from a bulb with a basal leaf that withers by bloom; the inflorescence bears 2–6 erect, bell-shaped to spreading flowers, each with three narrow sepals and three wider petals; petals range from cream to deep yellow to reddish purple, often with reddish-brown borders and flecks, and the inner surfaces may be hairy; the fruit is an angled capsule 4–5 cm long.

In cultivation, Weed's mariposa lily favors full sun with low to very low water, and summer irrigation should be avoided once established; this species tolerates cold to 0°F and requires well-drained soil with fast to medium drainage, tolerating sand or clay and a pH of 6.0–7.0. Propagation by seed requires no treatment, but bulbs from seed take at least 3 years to develop, with older bulbs establishing faster; the plant can be grown and sold, and natural populations occur on dry slopes, canyons, and mesas below 4,000 ft; flowering may be irregular as the bulb recovers after flowering, and the species supports caterpillars and butterflies in chaparral and coastal sage scrub landscapes.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3 feet

Spread

4-6 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil (sand or clay ok if drainage is good; pH 6.0–7.0), rocky soils (dry ridges and slopes)

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Bloom Color

Cream to deep yellow to reddish purple

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

2-3 years to flowering plant

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees