​Sego Lily, Nuttall's Mariposa Lily,Calochortus nuttallii,Lily Family ((Liliaceae)

Found in dry meadows, slopes, sagebrush
Seen blooming in May in Red Wash Canyon

Thanks to the moisture this year there is a profusion of these beautiful, exotic-looking lilies in bloom in the canyon. Its scientific name means “beautiful herb”. It grows 6 to 18 inches tall with one to four flowers. Leaves are narrow and folded, grass-like. The flowers are 2 inches across and tulip-like with white petals tinged with lilac and a bright yellow base. Inside the flower there is a purple/maroon band around a fringe of yellow hairs and anthers. Sego Lily has been used as dried food, candy and as food for winter by Native Americans who introduced it to the Mormons which kept them alive and thus it became the Utah state flower. The bulbs were dried and preserved for winter use, eaten raw, roasted, peeled and then eaten, and the flower was used ceremonially. Source.
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