Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Calochortus

Species:

Calochortus argillosus

USDA Symbol:

CAAR44

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow, white

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, native pollinators

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Geophyte that persists through fire via underground bulb. May flower prolifically following burns in grassland and chaparral habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Native to clay and serpentine soils in California

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–45 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with cool, moist conditions. Bulbs go dormant after spring flowering and require dry summer dormancy.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI