The Ajo Lily is the only species of its genus, an unusual phenomenon known to botanists as ‘monotypic.’ Also known as the Desert Lily, this relatively rare plant grows in one of the hottest, driest places on earth.
It lives in the Eastern Mojave Desert of Arizona, California, and Nevada, with some populations extending into the lower Colorado basin of the Sonoran Desert. The Ajo Lily can reach as high as 3 feet tall and spends 3 or more years of its life producing leaves before it ever creates a flowering stalk. This perennial only blooms in the spring after a winter with considerable rainfall.
Its showy, bright white lily flowers are a sight to behold. The flower opens in the late afternoon, and the fragrance and appearance lure in Hawk moths at dusk to perform pollination throughout the night. These striking spring ephemerals are found in dry sandy flats, rolling hills, washes, and on desert dunes. Each flower on the stalk lasts just two or three days.
The bulb lodged deep beneath the ground allows the plant to store nutrients and withstand desiccation in the piercing desert heat. The bulbs have been used as a food source by desert Tribal groups. They remain in the ground for several years; a good rainfall rewards patience and brings this spectacular plant above ground in a fleeting bloom of glory.
This Earth Note was written by Carrie Calisay Cannon and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program of Northern Arizona University.
