The Calochortus of California

The Bay Area is the center of diversity for the genus Calochortus, and California is home to the lion's share of species is this group of 'beautiful grasses'. These members of the lily tribe grow throughout the state, from alpine meadows to seaside bluffs and from the desert to the temperate rain forest. We'll begin by orienting Calochortus in the larger scheme of plant taxonomy and then discuss the biogeography of the genus. With origins established, we'll embark on a photo tour of species starting with Bay Area taxa and moving north, east, and south, based on my photos and observations from years of calochovorting about the state in search of these entrancing beauties. Not limiting ourselves to political boundaries, we'll then discuss more far-flung members of the genus outside California and the US. We'll conclude with a discussion of the cultivation of this genus, many of whose members are surprisingly easy to grow.
Kipp McMichael is a software developer and hortiphile who makes his home (and garden!) in Berkeley, where he resides with husbands Patrick and Jean-Claude, as well as far too many succulents, cacti, and geophytes. Kipp has a lifelong interest in all kinds of natural history and has relished the biological and geological richness of the California landscape since he moved here in 2000. Kipp has grown most of the Calochortus species native to California from seed and loves to cultivate appreciation of this cult-worthy genus.