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Home Garden
Plant Lists California
Native Plants |
Calochortus
invenustus: Mariposa Lily |
The natural habitat of this
California native bulb is a
bog or open meadow at an
elevation of 4,500-9000 feet. The
white flowers with their red and yellow markings are quite striking. The english
translation of mariposa mean butterfly. I have not seen the flowers attract
butterflys but from a distance there could be a resemblance. Regardless they are
astoundingly beautiful. Calochortus invenustus blooms in the late spring. Their native range
includes the Sierra Nevada Range, Coastal Ranges, the Tehachapi's. It is relatively
common in California at elevation. This species is more likely to be
successful in the garden setting than many of the other Calochortus. I saw numerous
ornate checkered beetles in the flowers but none of the flowers were
eaten.
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