Common names:
Desert lily, Ajo lily
Family:
Scientific name:
Hesperocallis undulata
Main flower color:
Range:
The Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (AZ, CA, NV)
Height:
From 1 to 6 feet
Habitat:
Deserts; sandy and rocky areas, plains, foothills
Leaves:
Up to 20 inches long, dark grey/green, linear to lanceolate, with wavy edges
Season:
February to May
The long, narrow, wavy-edged leaves of hesperocallis undulata grow only around the base of the thick, rigid stem, which can reach a height of 6 feet and bears many large, funnel-shaped flowers; each has 6 petals which are mostly pure white but have a greenish-yellow band underneath. Flowers point outwards in all directions. At the center of each flower is a cluster of long stamens, with yellow anthers and white filaments.
The plant inhabits the hottest, driest regions of the Southwest, flowering after the infrequent rainfall. The bulbs are edible, and have a taste similar to garlic. Hesperocallis is a monotypic genus, and the sole species has similarities both to the lily and agave families.
The plant inhabits the hottest, driest regions of the Southwest, flowering after the infrequent rainfall. The bulbs are edible, and have a taste similar to garlic. Hesperocallis is a monotypic genus, and the sole species has similarities both to the lily and agave families.
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