The violet patches on the three petals of the mariposa lily serve as nectar guides to its many pollinators, especially beetles. Photo by Gene Yates. A member of the lily family, white mariposa lily grows from a perennial bulb with a single grass-like stem up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall bearing 1-5 flowers.The flower features three large white petals each with a prominent purple blotch in the center.hoto by Gene Yates. A member of the lily family, white mariposa lily grows from a perennial bulb with a single grass-like stem up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall bearing 1-5 flowers. The flower features three large white petals each with a prominent purple blotch in the center.
After the leaves are dead you can cut them back and just leave the bulbs until next year when many will bloom again. High quality bulbs should come back for about 3 years, but they do get weaker year after year. I would like to receive my spring bloomers (like tulips, daffodils, etc) in spring/summer.
But fledging flowers that come out of the ground this early in the year may not be able to endure the long, cold months that are inevitably ahead. However, don't fret. The foliage always comes first and your tulips are unlikely to reach the stalk stage before the worst part of winter hits. Whatever happens, resist the temptation to mess around with tulips, snipping off frozen buds and foliage or covering them with blankets. This bruises the plants and does more harm than good.