Diogenes' Lantern (Calochortus amabilis) at Camp Royeneh near Cazadero, California.

Like most other fairy lanterns (Calochortus), this plant spends most of the year as a dormant bulb. Late winter rains cause it to grow a few grasslike leaves during early spring, which wither and are replaced by lovely yellow flowers in late spring. They generally bloom in late April and early May. By june they usually develop seed pods which drop seeds late in the month, and the plant goes back to dormancy the rest of the year.

Fairy lanterns grow all over the state, with at least 48 species represented. They have historically been used as food, managed by indigenous agriculture.

This species is endemic to the North Coast Ranges.

#CaliforniaNativePlants #Nativeplants #PlantsoftheBayArea #PlantsofSonomaCounty #WildlifePhotography #PlantPhotography #Mosstodon #bloomscrolling #wildflowers #SonomaCounty #SonomaCountyBotany #Cazadero #CampRoyaneh #Calochortusamabilis
#Calochortus #DiogenesLantern
#FairyLantern #NorCalBotany

All ~75 species of Calochortus—including mariposa lilies, globe lilies, and star tulips—are native to western North America and Central America. About 40% grow on or are endemic to serpentine soils, which are especially abundant in California.

#calochortus #wildflowers #californiaendemics #nature #wildlife #californianativeplants #california

Whenever I’m in the West I love finding mariposa lilies. This is a desert mariposa lily, Calochortus kennedyi.

#bloomscrolling #MariposaLily #Calochortus #botany #DesertPlants

*Calochortus luteus* - Yellow Mariposa Lily, found in heavy clay soils in the Bay Area, Sierra foothills, and the inner coast ranges of Central California.

The plant dies back to a dormant bulb during the hottest part of the year, only to re-emerge when the winter rains come. The plant takes 2-4 years of growth before it actually flowers.

The bulbs are edible, and are frequently eaten by invasive pigs and other grazing animals. The best places to see them are in open grasslands without a recent history of grazing. These photos were taken at Edgewood Preserve in San Mateo County.

Bulbs are seasonally available from native nurseries, and are easy to grow if you have the patience.

#bloomscrolling #botany #CaliforniaNativePlants #Calochortus #calochortusluteus
#wildflowers #Plantsofsanfrancisco #plantsofthebayarea #sanmateocounty #edgewoodpreserve

A Mariposa Lily (Calochortus) blooming in the granular road fill in front of the property. A rare bloomer for us.

#Flowers #blooms #Calochortus