Sego Lily
Calochortus nuttallii

Family: Calochortaceae

What it is like

Calochortus nuttallii is a BULB growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Dry soils with grass and scrub, 1500 - 2800 metres.

South-western N. America - California to New Mexico.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Bulb - raw or cooked. Remove the outer husk. Excellent raw, the flavour is greatly improved by slow cooking. The bulbs are said to have a crisp nut-like texture and a pleasant flavour when cooked. The bulbs can also be dried and ground into a powder which can be used with cereal flours when making bread. Leaves - cooked as a potherb. It is hard to obtain a sufficient quantity and this use of the leaves will weaken the plants so is not to be recommended. Seed - ground into a powder. Flowers and flower buds - raw. A tasty addition to the salad bowl.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Requires a deep very well-drained fertile sandy soil in a warm sunny position and must be kept dry from mid summer to late autumn. This is a rather difficult plant to cultivate in Britain, it is very cold hardy but is intolerant of wetness especially in the winter. It is easiest to grow in a bulb frame but is worth trying outdoors at the base of a south-facing wall, especially with shrubs that like these conditions. Bulbs can be lifted as soon as the foliage dies down in the summer and stored overwinter in a cool dry place, replanting in spring. Another report says that the bulbs should be replanted immediately. Bulbs frequently divide after flowering, the bulblets taking 2 years to reach flowering size. Hand pollination is necessary if seed is required. A very ornamental plant, it is the state flower of Utah.

Propagating it: Seed - sow as soon as ripe or early spring in a cold frame in a very sharply draining medium. Stratification may be helpful. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 6 months at 15°c. Leave the seedlings undisturbed for their first two years growth, but give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. It is quite difficult to get the seedlings through their first period of dormancy since it is all too easy either to dry them out completely or keep them too moist when they will rot. After their second year of growth, pot up the dormant bulbs in late summer and grow them on for at least another 2 years in the greenhouse before trying them outside. Seedlings take about 5 - 7 years to come into flower. Division of the bulbs as soon as the foliage dies down. One report says that the bulbs must be planted into their permanent positions immediately, whilst another says that they can be stored overwinter and replanted in the spring. Stem bulbils, harvested from the stems after flowering. They can be stored cool and dry then planted in pots in the cold frame in the spring.

Best place to grow: East Wall. By. South Wall. By.

Habit: Bulb

Hardiness: 3-7

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. luteus. non Dougl.