Flower profile
Gunnison's mariposa lily
Calochortus gunnisonii
Gunnison's mariposa lily is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming
Quick look
Calochortus gunnisonii commonly known as Rocky Mountain mariposa or Gunnison mariposa lily is a North American species of flowering plant in the lily family. It is native to the western United States, primarily in the Rocky Mountains and Black Hills: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Washington state (Grant County, northwestern Nebraska and eastern Idaho.
- It belongs to the Liliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. NatureServe
- In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- In Wyoming, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 5,662 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #14 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 493 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #58 among the 107 flowers on our Wyoming list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 212 research-grade sightings of it in South Dakota, ranking #68 among the 108 flowers on our South Dakota list. iNaturalist
Gunnison's mariposa lily gift ideas
Handmade gunnison's mariposa lily gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Gunnison's mariposa lily art print
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Gunnison's mariposa lily greeting card
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Gunnison's mariposa lily mug
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Gunnison's mariposa lily earrings
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Gunnison's mariposa lily embroidery pattern
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Gunnison's mariposa lily sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Native | June–August | 5,662 |
| Wyoming | Native | June–August | 493 |
| South Dakota | Native | July | 212 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Colorado.
- Wyoming
- No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Wyoming.
- South Dakota
- No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “The bulb can be eaten raw or cooked. Most parts of the plant is edible including leaves and flower buds.” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Mariposa Lily” (Calochortus gunnisonii) lists it as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records gunnison's mariposa lily in 8 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming.
Colorado counties with USDA records: Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Delta, Dolores, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Routt, Saguache, Summit, Teller.
Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Big Horn, Carbon, Crook, Fremont, Johnson, Laramie, Natrona, Niobrara, Park, Sheridan, Washakie, Weston.
South Dakota counties with USDA records: Custer, Haakon, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CAGU.
- iNaturalist, Calochortus gunnisonii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Calochortus gunnisonii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
- South Dakota: South Dakota statewide noxious weeds (ARSD 12:62:03:01.06).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Calochortus gunnisonii (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Jo Roberts via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.