Sego Lily

Calochortus nuttallii

Illustration: Sego lily (Calochortus nuttallii) white tulip flowers

Identification: Delicate white tulip-like flowers (often with purple-marked throats) on slender stems; grass-like leaves; small bulbs. Utah's state flower.

Dangerous look-alikes: Death camas again — same meadows, same caution: confirm the tulip-like flower before digging any bulb in sego country.

Edible parts: Bulbs.

Season and habitat: Spring–early summer bloom. Foothills, open pine woods.

Preparation: Eat bulbs raw or roasted — mild and nutty. The Mormon pioneers credited sego bulbs with saving them from starvation in 1848–49.