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.
Potted tulips, which bloom just in spring, are usually forced for early bloom, which takes a lot of energy out of the bulb; it may take a few years before it reblooms, if at all. If you'd like to try to coax them to bloom another year or two, remove the dried leaves. Place the pot in a dark, cool, dry location. Plant tulip bulbs in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when soils are below 60 degrees F. (See our frost charts.) This timing ranges from early autumn (Zone 4) to late autumn (warmer zones).