About Calochortus macrocarpus Douglas
Calochortus macrocarpus Douglas has blue-green, grass-like leaves. Its bulbs are carrot-shaped and taper toward the end. This species produces large, three-petaled flowers that range in color from pink to purple, and are occasionally white; each flower has a greenish stripe on the underside of its petals. The plant’s sepals are roughly 2 inches long, much narrower than the petals, and slightly longer than the petals. It typically blooms during June and July. This species is native to the Northwestern United States, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana, as well as northern California, northern Nevada, and a small area of southern British Columbia. Its native habitats include the Great Basin and the Cascade Range. First peoples in southern British Columbia harvested the bulbs of Calochortus macrocarpus from April to June, and the bulbs can be eaten either raw or cooked.
