Find Your Anyone who has stepped into a flower shop knows what a lily is. However, very few people know about the Sego Lily, Utah’s state flower.
Photo courtesy 50states.com
Don’t let the name fool you!! The Sego Lily is not a lily at all (does not belong to the Lilium genus). Still, the Sego Lily (Calochortus gunnisonii) is a beautiful wildflower from which much inspiration can be drawn. The flowers are white, lilac or yellow. Pretty enough but what really captures the eye is the center of the flower which has touches of crimson and yellow. It looks almost as if a fire has been lit and extends into white-hot flames. With a look like this, the Sego Lily inspires designs laced with passion, beauty, dimension, color and fervor.
The Story of The Utah State Flower
The Utah state flower has been inspiring Utah florists as the official state floral emblem since 1911. Before this, the Sego Lily was being used in a rather unconventional but lifesaving way. Kate C. Snow, president of the Utah Pioneers, wrote a letter in 1930 describing how early Utah pioneers in the mid 1800s were forced to scavage for food. They discovered that the soft, bulbous root of the Sego Lily could be eaten. Many survived using this interesting flower as sustinence. This effect on Utah’s history was a deciding factor for legislators who declared the Sego Lily Utah’s state flower after the turn of the century.
Strange but cool. Unique but beautiful. That’s why I think all florists will find something inspiring to love about the Sego Lily.
I love Utah’s State Flower .. its very nice…….