Clintonia uniflora
Bride's bonnet
(c) J Brew, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clintonia uniflora (Bride's bonnet) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by distinctive single flower and montane habitat.
Bride's bonnet is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada in shaded conifer forests at elevations of 1,000 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white flowers approximately 18 to 22 millimeters long with delicate, slightly hairy petals. Growing with a slender rhizome and reaching 15 centimeters tall, it develops two to three large oblanceolate leaves that are 7 to 15 centimeters long and 2 to 6 centimeters wide. Its leaves are somewhat hairy and range from oblanceolate to oblong or elliptic in shape, with a soft, elegant appearance. The fruit develops to 6 to 10 millimeters in length, adding subtle interest to this woodland species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; distinctive single flower and montane habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shaded conifer forest
Elevation: 1000-1900 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Mariposa, Tulare, Humboldt, Trinity, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Del Norte, Calaveras, Butte, Shasta, Plumas, Glenn, Fresno
Outside California: to southwestern Canada
Bloom period
Clintonia uniflora blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Fritillaria: Clintonia flowers stand upright and produce berries; Fritillaria flowers droop and produce dry capsules.; vs Platanthera: Clintonia has broad basal leaves and small flower clusters; Platanthera has narrow leaves and tall flower spikes.; vs Lilium: Clintonia has basal leaves and produces berries; Lilium has stem leaves and produces dry capsules.; vs Tulipa: Clintonia has multiple small flowers and produces berries; Tulipa has one large flower and produces dry capsules.; vs Streptopus: Clintonia flowers are in terminal umbels from basal leaves; Streptopus flowers hang from leaf joints on leafy stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clintonia uniflora native to California?
Yes. Clintonia uniflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Clintonia uniflora bloom?
Clintonia uniflora blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Clintonia uniflora grow?
Clintonia uniflora occurs in Siskiyou, Mariposa, Tulare, Humboldt, Trinity, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of 1000-1900 m.
What plant family does Clintonia uniflora belong to?
Clintonia uniflora is in the Liliaceae family, genus Clintonia.
What habitat does Clintonia uniflora grow in?
Clintonia uniflora grows in Shaded conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.