Fritillaria eastwoodiae
Butte county fritillary, Butte County Fritillary
(c) 2007 Vivian Parker, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 3.2
Fritillaria eastwoodiae (Butte county fritillary) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by recurved petal tips and glaucous leaves diagnostic.
Butte county fritillary is a rare (CNPS 3.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and California Ranges, particularly in Shasta, Tehama, and Butte counties, growing on dry benches and slopes at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces nodding flowers with perianth parts 1 to 1.7 centimeters long in shades of green, yellow, and red with recurved tips. Growing 2 to 8 decimeters tall with a large bulb, it develops leaves in 1 to 2 whorls of 3 to 5 below the stem and alternating above. Its leaves are 5 to 10 centimeters long, linear to narrowly lanceolate, and slightly glaucous in appearance. The plant bears an angular fruit and develops from a distinctive bulb with 2 to 5 large scales and 10 to 60 smaller scales.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; recurved petal tips and glaucous leaves diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry benches, slopes
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Butte, Shasta, Yuba, Plumas, Tehama, Glenn
Bloom period
Fritillaria eastwoodiae blooms Mar-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 3.2
How to tell it apart
vs Lilium: Fritillaria has dark glandular spots in the lower half of each petal; Lilium petals lack these nectary patches.; vs Calochortus: Fritillaria flowers droop downward with glands inside; Calochortus flowers face upward or outward.; vs Platanthera: Fritillaria has 6 similar bell-shaped petals; orchid flowers have distinctly different upper and lower petals.; vs Clintonia: Fritillaria flowers hang downward with internal glands; Clintonia flowers stand upright and produce berries.; vs Maianthemum: Fritillaria has large drooping bells with 6 petals; Maianthemum has tiny 4-parted flowers in clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fritillaria eastwoodiae native to California?
Yes. Fritillaria eastwoodiae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Fritillaria eastwoodiae bloom?
Fritillaria eastwoodiae blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Fritillaria eastwoodiae grow?
Fritillaria eastwoodiae occurs in Butte, Shasta, Yuba, Plumas, Tehama, Glenn, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Fritillaria eastwoodiae belong to?
Fritillaria eastwoodiae is in the Liliaceae family, genus Fritillaria.
Is Fritillaria eastwoodiae rare or endangered?
Fritillaria eastwoodiae carries California Rare Plant Rank 3.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.