Desert Lily
Hesperocallis undulata · Asparagaceae
- Form
- Bulb
- Height
- 1-3 ft
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Very Low
- Blooms
- Feb, Mar, Apr
- Pet toxicity
- Unknown
- Habitat
- Desert
🌿 California native
Quick facts
- Habitat: Desert, sandy flats and washes
- Form / size: Bulb wildflower, 1-3 ft
- Sun: Full sun · Water: Winter rain only
- Blooms: Late winter-spring · Pollinator value: Moderate
Description
A striking desert bulb with wavy-edged leaves and tall stems of white, lily-like flowers. In good rainfall years it can appear dramatically from bare-looking sand.
Wildlife & pollinators
Native bees and moths visit the flowers. The bloom is part of the brief desert spring pulse.
Habitat & range
Sandy desert flats, washes, bajadas, and open desert scrub in the Mojave and Colorado deserts.
In the garden
Specialized and difficult. It needs deep sandy soil, winter moisture, hot dry dormancy, and patience. Best admired in habitat unless you are building a true desert bulb garden.
Propagation
From seed, slowly. Seedlings take years to reach flowering size and need deep containers or sandy beds.
Where to see it near you
- iNaturalist — observed in Southern California
- Sandy desert flats and washes after winter rain.
Problems
Dormant bulbs are easy to overwater or disturb. Do not collect from the wild.
