Calochortus concolor
A Peninsular Ranges endemic lily-family bulbous perennial, 30–60 cm tall with a waxy basal leaf and 1–7 erect yellow bell-shaped flowers with reddish bases, blooming in late spring to mid-summer on dry slopes, best propagated by division.
Common Names
Goldenbowl Mariposa Lily
Summary
Goldenbowl mariposa lily is a perennial monocot herb native to southern California and northern Baja California, with erect stems 30–60 cm tall and waxy basal leaves that wither at flowering. The inflorescence bears 1–7 erect bell-shaped flowers, each with three sepals and three yellow petals with reddish bases, blooming May–July, and producing a narrow, angled capsule up to 8 cm long; it grows in chaparral and yellow pine forest habitats at about 700–2,500 m, making it notable for its conspicuous yellow flowers.
In cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade with low to very low water and no summer irrigation; seed propagation requires no special treatment; the bulb has been used as food by indigenous peoples.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1-2 ft
Sunlight Requirements
Full sun, partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained decomposed granite soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil.
Bloom Color
Yellow
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Glaucous
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Not specified
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds (unreliable germination; not recommended), Spores (not described), Cuttings (not viable), Division (most reliable), Layering (not described)
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Baker) Purdy
- Publication
- Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 3, 2(4): 135 1901
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Liliales
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Calochortus