Mineral Wildflower Festival

Technical Name

• Calochortus leichtlinii

Informal Names

• Leichtlin's mariposa lily

• Smoky Mariposa lily

• Mariposa lily

Key Characteristics

• The Bloom: Features three large, wedge-shaped white petals (occasionally tinged with smoky blue or purple) forming a deep, elegant cup.

• Intricate Markings: The interior base of each petal is bright yellow, accented by a bold, dark reddish-purple or near-black blotch.

• Petal Interior: Just above the colorful nectar gland, the inner surface of the petals is sparsely lined with fine, single hairs.

• Foliage: True to the lily family, it has a single, long, narrow, grass-like basal leaf that often begins to wither by the time the flower fully opens.

Notable Significance

• Ethnobotanical Value: Historically, many Native American tribes valued Calochortus species as an important food source. The small, starchy bulbs were harvested and eaten raw, boiled, or roasted, tasting somewhat like sweet potatoes.

• Pollinator Magnet: The deep nectar glands and bright yellow centers serve as an unmistakable target for native bees, beetles, and butterflies navigating the forest floor.

• Drought Resilience: As a geophyte, the plant dies back completely to an underground bulb after flowering, allowing it to survive the dry alpine summers and freezing winter snows of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada.

Locations Found

• Habitat: Thrives in dry, rocky soils, open coniferous forests, subalpine meadows, and exposed ridges.

• Geographic Range & Elevation: Found predominantly in the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascade Range, and Modoc Plateau. In the Mineral and Lassen areas, it typically pops up at elevations ranging from 4,000 to over 8,000 feet, making an appearance as the winter snowpack retreats.