Species PlantsSego Lily

Sego Lily

Calochortus nuttallii

UncommonPlant
Illustration of Sego Lily (Calochortus nuttallii)

The Sego Lily is Utah's state flower — a delicate, bowl-shaped wildflower with three broad white petals marked with purple and yellow at the base. It blooms on dry, open slopes and sagebrush flats across the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains. Pioneer settlers and Native Americans ate the starchy bulbs during times of scarcity.

Habitat
Dry sagebrush flats, open slopes, and grasslands of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains
Diet
Bulbs historically eaten by Native Americans and pioneers; seeds consumed by small rodents
How common
Uncommon

Best time to see a Sego Lily

The best time to see a Sego Lily is May–June, when about 79% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 6,851 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Sego Lily? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Sego Lily sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a Sego Lily? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.

Get Huck

Get an alert when a Sego Lily is spotted

Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

Love plants? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

More plants

Sensitive Fern
Sensitive Fern
Onoclea sensibilis
Sensitive Partridge Pea
Sensitive Partridge Pea
Chamaecrista nictitans
Sessile Bellwort
Sessile Bellwort
Uvularia sessilifolia
Sessile-leaved Tick Trefoil
Sessile-leaved Tick Trefoil
Desmodium sessilifolium
Shadbush
Shadbush
Amelanchier canadensis
Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata
Sheep Laurel
Sheep Laurel
Kalmia angustifolia
Shingle Oak
Shingle Oak
Quercus imbricaria