Ajo Lily In Morning Light
by Robert Bales
Title
Ajo Lily In Morning Light
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
One of first Spring flowers in the southwest deserts. Found this with the morning sunlight coming through the flower while walking on the Sonoran Desert.
Looking much like an Easter Lily, this plant can be easily seen growing grows along desert roads in the spring. The Desert Lily has a deep bulb that sends up a stem in early spring that can be 1 to 4 feet high. A cluster of long, blue-green leaves with white margins grows just above the ground. The Desert Lily's leaves are about an inch wide with wavy edges and grow 8 to 20 inches long.
The Desert Lily was called "Ajo (garlic) Lily" by the Spanish because of the bulb's flavor. Native Americans used the bulb as a food source. These bulbs can remain in the ground for several years, waiting for enough moisture to emerge.
BLM administers the popular Desert Lily Sanctuary, officially designated by Congress in 1994 as part of the California Desert Protection Act which reinforced BLMs administrative protection of the area dating back to 1968. The Sanctuary is located on State Highway 177, just 7 miles northeast of Desert Center. The best time to visit the Desert Lily Sanctuary is February through April.
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Uploaded
June 30th, 2017
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