Greene's mariposa lily facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greene's mariposa lily
Scientific classification
Genus:	Calochortus
Species:	greenei

Calochortus greenei is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the lily family. People often call it Greene's mariposa lily. This plant is a type of perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for many years and does not have a woody stem.

About Greene's Mariposa Lily

Greene's mariposa lily is a special kind of plant. It gets its name from its discoverer. This plant is known for its pretty, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers often have lovely light purple petals.

Where It Grows

You can find Greene's mariposa lily in specific parts of the United States. It grows naturally in northern California and southern Oregon. This plant prefers to live in mountain areas. It likes the forests and woodlands there.

What It Looks Like

Greene's mariposa lily has a stem that can grow up to about 30 centimeters tall. That's about the length of a standard ruler! The stem often branches out.

• Leaves: The plant has a basal leaf. This means the leaf grows from the bottom of the plant, near the ground. This leaf can be about 20 centimeters long. What's cool is that this leaf stays green even when the plant is flowering.
• Flowers: The plant produces 1 to 5 flowers. These flowers stand upright and look like bells. Each flower has three sepals. Sepals are like small, leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. It also has three light purple petals.
• Petals: The petals are quite long, about 3 to 4 centimeters. They have darker spots near their bases. If you look closely, you'll see that the inside of the petals is covered with long, soft hairs.
• Fruit: After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is a capsule. It's about 2 centimeters long and has small wings. This capsule holds the plant's seeds.