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.
Flowering should begin in three to four weeks after the bulbs come in out of the cold. Keep 'em coming by removing pots from cold storage at every other week. Newfangled forcing: Place tulip bulbs in a brown paper or mesh bag, then tuck the bag into the refrigerator vegetable crisper for seven or eight weeks. And it's OK if you forget about them for up to 14 weeks (out of sight is out of mind ...). This chilling method will work if you don't keep fruit in the fridge.