Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Calochortus

Species:

Calochortus simulans

USDA Symbol:

CASI7

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

pink, lavender, 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:

Geophyte that survives fire by persisting underground as bulbs. May show increased flowering after fire due to reduced competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Native to dry, open hillsides and grasslands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from cold stratification. Bulbs may take several years to reach flowering size from seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI