Wikimedia Commons
Asparagaceae
Common Camas
Camassia quamash
Sustenance and community.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Camassia
- Native to
- Western North America
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- bulb
- Height
- 1-2.5 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- moist, clay, seasonally wet meadows
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 3-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Camas bulbs were one of the most important food sources for Pacific Northwest Native Americans, who managed vast camas prairies through controlled burning.
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition survived partly on camas bulbs traded from the Nez Perce people during their westward journey.
- Camas wars erupted when white settlers let livestock graze on camas prairies, destroying a vital Native American food source.
- The bulbs taste sweet when slow-roasted for 24-48 hours, developing a flavor similar to sweet potato or pear.
- Deadly death camas (Zigadenus) looks similar and grows in the same meadows; Native Americans distinguished them by flower color during bloom.
Color meanings
0
sustenance
1
community
2
native heritage