Calochortus Parade, part 1

California's state flower is Eschscholzia californica, the California Poppy. Some accounts indicate it won out over competitors Romneya coulteri and flowers in the genus Calochortus, the Mariposa Lilies.

People tend root for the underdog and as such I personally wish a species of Calochortus, or perhaps the entire genus, were the state flower. They come in a wide variety of shapes, forms, and colors, and have a long bloom period, starting in late March and in some places ending up in August!

So to honor my underdog, here is the first installament of the Calochortus Parade: the Mariposa Lilies!

Species, from top: C. superbus, C. leichtlinii, C. venustus, C. luteus, C. argillosus, C. vestae