Southwest Desert Flora

Scientific Name: Calochortus kennedyi
Common Name: Desert Mariposa Lily
Also Called: Desert Mariposa, Flame Mariposa, Red Mariposa Lily (Spanish: Cobena Amarilla)
Family: Liliaceae or Lily Family
Synonyms: ()
Status: Native
Duration: Perennial
Size: Usually about 8 inches more or less; (up to 18 inches).
Growth Form: Forb/herb; stems usually twisted, spring growth from bulb.
Leaves: Green; basal, withering throughout the season, leaves linear, grass-like.
Flower Color: Red, reddish-orange and rarely yellow; large attractive flowers, flowers 1 to 6, flowers erect, bell shaped (campanulate), fruits erect, capsule.
Flowering Season: March to May.
Elevation: Up to 5,000 feet.

Habitat Preferences: Open desert and mid-elevation areas, alkaline soils, rocky hillsides and pinyon-juniper communities.

Recorded Range: Desert Mariposa, a southwestern desert species is found primarily in the Arizona and California with populations also in southern Nevada and southern Utah. Desert Mariposa is also native to northern Mexico.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Calochortus kennedyi.

U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.

Threatened/Endangered Information: Calochortus kennedyi var. kennedyi, Desert Mariposa Lily and Calochortus kennedyi var. munzii, Desert Mariposa Lily are protected native species in Arizona.

Genus Information:Over 50 species in Calochortus in western United States and Canada. 6 species in Arizona, 44 in California and 5 in New Mexico. The Plant List includes 74 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Calochortus. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.

2 varieties in Calochortus kennedyi;
Calochortus kennedyi var. kennedyi, Desert Mariposa Lily (Range Recorded above);
Calochortus kennedyi var. munzii, Desert Mariposa Lily (California only).

Comments: Desert Mariposa is a Sonoran and Mojave desert species preferring lower elevation habitats than other Mariposas in the southwest. Truly a beautiful species.

Also see in Southwest Desert Flora; Doubting Mariposa Lily, Calochortus ambiguus, Gunnison's Mariposa Lily, Calochortus gunnisonii and Sego Lily, Calochortus nuttallii.