March 2013

This year the basal leaves of the C. amabilis are exceptionally long and wide. Above we can see how an amabilis bears its basal leaf cowl-like around the stem.

Left: Some rain-wet blossoms of C. amabilis. Note the prominent tongue-like gland, and the fringe of hairs extending out from the interior. Right: Napa County plants in a road bank.

Also known as the Diogenes' Lantern, the Golden Globe Tulip, and the Golden Fairy Lantern, the brilliant yellow Calochortus amabilis is another resident species of the Bay Area, and Northern California (Napa, Marin, Solano, Lake, Mendocino, Colusa, Sonoma, Trinity, and Humboldt counties--also with an unusual population near San Diego!).

C. amabilis is often confused with its far less common relative C. pulchellus (Mt. Diablo Globe Lily), which is more of a greenish yellow color. The Diogenes' Lantern, however, is entirely lemon yellow, all the way up to its sepals.

A group of elegantly shaped sepals of C. amabilis as seen from above. Note the orange coloration of the central flower. This is the sign of an aging bloom. Soon the entire blossom will take on a rusty orange hue before it withers and falls away.

Like other Globe Lilies, C. amabilis favors shady hillsides and roadcuts, but can also sometimes be seen in direct sun in the oak woodlands where it is usually found. It is surprisingly adaptable to the various soils of its region. Diogenes' Lanterns generally have a single branched stem, sometimes as tall as 10 inches, with several 1 inch flowers to a branch.

April 2013: Our Purple Fairy Lanterns are really starting to bloom now...We even have one plant that has variegated foliage--a yellow and green striping reminiscient of a Spider Plant. Wonder what the flowers will look like here...

 From right to left we can see in the above photo the life cycle of a Purple Globe Lily flower: to the right, two buds are peaking out from their cauline leaves; in the center of the photo, the mature flower; and to the left, a withered bloom draping over an immature seed pod.

Found predominantly in the southern Sierra foothills, Calochortus amoenus, is also called the Rose Globe Lily, the Purple Fairy Lantern and--surprise!--the Southern Sierra Globe Lily. This species is similar in size to C. amabilis, and pulchellus, and it enjoys similar habitats and growing conditions, as well, save the granitic soils of the Sierra foothills.

The Purple Fairy Lantern is the fastest growing Globe Lily found at 7th Street Farms. From seed, it takes two growing seasons to produce flowers--all others have taken at least three.

Even the seed pods of C. amoenus have an attractive quality:

Calochortus albus

C. albus, also known as the White Globe Lily or Fairy Lantern is the most widespread of the California Globe Lilies. It has a coastal form of the flower, as well as a southern and Sierra form. C. albus generally likes to grow on hillsides and roadcuts in full or partial shade. In the Bay Area, the pendant flowers of C. albus tend to be pinkish to greenish white with copper or pink striations on the sepals and over the prominent gland.

This plant can get fairly tall as far as Globe Lilies go.  Alameda county plants may have stems as long as a foot or more, carrying several 1 in. flowers on its various branches. As observed in the above photos, the sparse hairs which cover the petal interior tend to stick out like teeth, reminiscent of Audrey Jr., the man-eating plant of "Little Shop of Horrors" fame. But there's nothing to fear from this understated beauty.

Above: Three varieties of Globe Lily growing at the farm: The pale yellow example on the far left is a Mount Diablo Globe Lily (C. pulchellus). The bright lemon-yellow flowers in the middle are Diogenes' Lanterns (C. amabilis). The pink flowers on the right are C. amoenus, the Purple Fairy Lantern, of the Sierra foothills.

Globe Lilies and Fairy Lanterns growing at 7th Street Farms

Calochortus albus

Calochortus amabilis

Calochortus amoenus

Calochortus pulchellus