Range

Mojave and Sonoran deserts of southeastern California, western Arizona and northwestern Mexico.

Habitat

Sandy desert flats and slopes below 2500 feet.

Flowers

Large, cream-colored, funnel-shaped flowers, 2-1/2 inches wide, bloom March through May. Flowers have 6 petal-like segments, each with a silver-green band on the back. Clusters of these fragrant flowers may be as much as much as a foot long.

Description

Looking much like an Easter Lily, this plant can be easily seen growing grows along desert roads in the spring. The Desert Lily has a deep bulb that sends up a stem in early spring that can be 1 to 4 feet high. A cluster of long, blue-green leaves with white margins grows just above the ground. The Desert Lily's leaves are about an inch wide with wavy edges and grow 8 to 20 inches long.

The Desert Lily was called "Ajo (garlic) Lily" by the Spanish because of the bulb's flavor. Native Americans used the bulb as a food source. These bulbs can remain in the ground for several years, waiting for enough moisture to emerge.