| Sego Lily | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Liliaceae |
| Genus: | Calochortus |
| Species: | C. nuttallii |
| Binomial name | |
| Calochortus nuttallii Torr. & A.Gray |
|
The Sego Lily, Calochortus nuttallii, is a bulbous perennial which is endemic to the Western United States. It is the state flower of Utah.
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The Sego Lily has 1 to 4 flowers, each with 3 white petals (and 3 sepals) which are tinged with lilac (occasionally magenta) and have a purplish band radiating from the yellow base. These appear in early summer. Plants are around 15–45 cm (6–18 inches) in height and have linear leaves.[1]
The bulbs of this and other Calochortus species were roasted, boiled or made into a porridge by Native Americans and were also used as a food source by the Mormon pioneers in Utah.[2][3] Currently, it is grown as an ornamental for its attractive tulip-shaped flowers.
The flower was chosen as the state flower of Utah due to its importance in pioneering times and its "natural beauty". It was formally adopted on March 18, 1911.[4]
The plant is native to a number of western states including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.[1]
The Sego Lily is a species within the genus Calochortus, in a sub-group generally referred to as Mariposa Lilies. The specific epithet nuttallii, named for the English botanist and zoologist, Thomas Nuttall, was ascribed to the species by the American botanists John Torrey and Asa Gray when it was officially described in 1857.
A number of former varieties of Calochortus nuttallii are currently treated as species in their own right as follows:
Sego lilies prefer a deep, sandy soil with good drainage and are cold-hardy. Plants can be propagated from newly-formed bulblets which take two years to flower.[6]