Sego Lilly

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Close up of white Sego Lilly.
Credit: NPS Photo by Nancy Julian

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White Sego Lilly

Sego Lilly - Calochortus nuttallii

Growing 10-20 in. high, from an onion-like bulb, this perennial’s erect, slender stem is usually unbranched and bears 2-4 linear leaves, 7-10 in. long. One to three very showy, white to lavender-blue, tulip-like flowers are borne atop the stem in an umbel-like cluster. The flowers have three large petals with yellow bases and three narrower sepals.

Occasionally petals are magenta or tinged with lilac. This is Utahs state flower; the Ute Indians called it sago, and taught Mormon settlers to eat the bulbs in times of scarcity.