It is native to the coastal mountain ranges of southern Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and northern Ventura counties, where it is a member of the chaparral flora.

[3] Calochortus fimbriatus is a bulb-forming perennial herb producing a slender, branching stem 30 to 110 centimeters tall.

[4] There is a basal leaf up to 40 centimeters long which appears in January and withers long before the plant blooms in late June or early July.

The petals are usually tan or cream colored on the outside and yellowish on the inside with variable number of flecks of dark purple, and a coating of hairs on the inner surface and top rim.

Calochortus fimbriatus blooms more vigorously the year after a wildfire.