Sego lily is a small bulbous perennial of western North American grasslands and desert slopes, known for its white, lilac-tinged flowers. It grows well from bulbs in very well-drained, dry conditions with plenty of sun.
Family
Liliaceae (Lily family)
Grows as
Bulb, Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water lightly while growing and keep nearly dry during summer dormancy.
Soil
Sharp, very well-drained soil such as gritty loam or sand-based mix.
Temperature
Hardy in cold winters; protect bulbs from waterlogging rather than cold.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not toxic to cats or dogs (ASPCA).
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
C. & WC. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate
About
Calochortus nuttallii, also known as the sego lily, is a bulbous perennial plant that is endemic to the Western United States. The common name of sego comes from a similar Shoshone word. It is the state flower of Utah.
Where it grows
The plant is native to a number of western states, being found throughout Utah and Wyoming, large parts of eastern Nevada, and parts of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. It grows in dry, brushy or grassy slopes and desert high country.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Calochortus nuttallii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.