Prosartes smithii
Largeflower fairybells
(c) Laura J. Costello, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Liliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Prosartes smithii (Largeflower fairybells) is a native California herb in the Liliaceae family, recognized by largest flowers with included anthers and cylindrical shape.
Largeflower fairybells is a California native perennial found in western Northwest California and San Francisco Bay Area bioregions in moist, shady coastal and montane forests at elevations below 1,575 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces creamy white flowers with spreading tips 15 to 28 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive branching habit with 1 to 7 flowers per stem. Its leaves are 5 to 12 centimeters long, with margins that may have long spreading hairs that often fall away with age. The fruit is an orange, obovoid structure 10 to 15 millimeters long, typically containing more than three seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; largest flowers with included anthers and cylindrical shape are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist, shady coastal, montane forest
Elevation: < 1575 m
California counties: Marin, Alameda, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, San Mateo, Trinity, Monterey
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Prosartes smithii blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Maianthemum: Prosartes has large bell-shaped flowers in small clusters; Maianthemum has many tiny 4-parted flowers in dense clusters.; vs Streptopus: Prosartes has terminal flower clusters on straight stalks; Streptopus has single axillary flowers on kinked stalks.; vs Polygonatum: Prosartes flowers hang in terminal clusters; Polygonatum flowers hang individually from leaf axils along the stem.; vs Disporum: Prosartes and Disporum are extremely similar - check technical floral characters or rely on range.; vs Cornus: Prosartes has bell flowers and parallel-veined leaves; Cornus has small flowers in clusters and net-veined leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prosartes smithii native to California?
Yes. Prosartes smithii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Prosartes smithii bloom?
Prosartes smithii blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Prosartes smithii grow?
Prosartes smithii occurs in Marin, Alameda, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, San Mateo and other counties, at elevations of < 1575 m.
What plant family does Prosartes smithii belong to?
Prosartes smithii is in the Liliaceae family, genus Prosartes.
What habitat does Prosartes smithii grow in?
Prosartes smithii grows in Moist, shady coastal, montane 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.