Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Calochortus

Species:

Calochortus elegans

USDA Symbol:

CAEL

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, native pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Bulbs survive fire underground and can resprout. Benefits from periodic burning in native grassland and forest understory habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, rocky or sandy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open, sunny locations

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate slowly and erratically. Bulbs may take 4-5 years to reach flowering size from seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI