# Baker's Mariposa Lily (*Calochortus apiculatus*) The Baker's Mariposa Lily is a beautiful flower with bright yellow petals and a unique shape. It blooms in spring and can be found in sunny places, making the world a little brighter! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Baker's Mariposa Lily](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calochortus_apiculatus_-_Flickr_003.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bill Bouton from San Luis Obispo, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calochortus_apiculatus_-_Flickr_003.jpg) ## Appearance The Baker's Mariposa Lily has delicate, cup-shaped flowers, typically white to cream, often adorned with a fuzzy, yellow-green band and purple spots near the base. Its slender stem carries these distinct blooms, making it visually stand out on dry mountain slopes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Calochortus ## Interesting facts - "Mariposa" means "butterfly" in Spanish, named for its delicate, butterfly-like petals! - Its seeds can stay dormant for years, waiting for just the right time to sprout! - Its underground bulbs were a valuable food source for Native American tribes in the past. - This resilient lily can pop up and bloom even after its habitat has experienced a wildfire! ## Special abilities - **Rocky Resilience:** This lily has adapted to grow in rocky, well-drained soils, thriving where many other plants cannot take root. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Its unique petal markings and hairs help guide specific insect pollinators, ensuring its reproduction. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-40 cm - **Spread:** 5-10 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Mid-Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Black-tailed bumble bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-tailed-bumble-bee) (*Bombus melanopygus*) — assists in flower reproduction - **Eaten by:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on leaves and flowers - **Eaten by:** [Northern pocket gopher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pocket-gopher) (*Thomomys talpoides*) — digs up and consumes bulbs ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers, as some can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Baker's Mariposa Lily? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Baker's Mariposa Lily? 15-40 cm ### How wide does Baker's Mariposa Lily spread? 5-10 cm ### How big are the flowers on Baker's Mariposa Lily? 3-5 cm ### When does Baker's Mariposa Lily bloom? Late Spring to Mid-Summer ### Is Baker's Mariposa Lily edible? Yes ### Is Baker's Mariposa Lily toxic? None ### What is Baker's Mariposa Lily's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Sherburne Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sherburne-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [East Glacier Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-glacier-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Kishenehn Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kishenehn-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Little Tom Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-tom-mountain) — Montana, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Baker's Mariposa Lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bakers-mariposa-lily) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Baker's Mariposa Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bakers-mariposa-lily)