Camas, Wild Hyacinth, Camass, Quamash, Leichtlin’s Camass, Camassia leichtlinii, Camassia cusickii, Camassia quamash
Add native charm to your garden with Camas. Vibrant star-shaped flowers in various colors bloom on elegant stems, creating a captivating and eco-friendly display.
Camassia is native to North America, with a range extending from Canada’s British Columbia to as far south as California and eastward to the Great Plains.
Description: Camassia is a perennial bulbous plant, characterized by its tall, straight stems and attractive, star-shaped flowers. The plants produce racemes of flowers that open sequentially from bottom to top, providing a prolonged bloom period.
Growth Habit and Size: Camassia grows from a bulb and forms clumps of tall, upright stems, reaching heights between 1 to 3 feet (30-90 cm) depending on the species and variety. Camas naturalize easily and come back year after year. Over time, it can slowly spread to form large colonies if conditions are right.
Flowers: The flowers of Camassia are its most striking feature. Each stem produces a long, elegant spike of up to 100 star-shaped flowers adorned with six slender loose petals, a green center, and bright yellow stamens. The flowers vary from pale lilac or white to deep purple or blue-violet.
Foliage: The foliage of Camassia is slender, grass-like, and bright green, providing a beautiful contrast to the tall, upright flower spikes.
Blooming Season: Camassia typically blooms in late spring to early summer, filling a gap between the spring bulbs and summer perennials.
Hardiness: Camassia is a hardy plant, tolerating winter temperatures in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8.
Uses: Camassia is versatile and can be used in a variety of settings. It’s beautiful in meadow gardens, woodland borders, and alongside ponds or streams. They also work well in cottage gardens and mixed borders.
Pollinators: Camassia is an excellent plant for attracting bees and other pollinators, making it a beneficial addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.
Toxicity: Unlike some bulbous plants, camassia is not known to be toxic to humans or pets. Camassia species are edible and nutritious plants. They were a food staple for Indigenous peoples and settlers in the American Old West.
Deer and Rabbit Resistance: Camassia is typically resistant to deer and rabbits, making it a good choice in areas where these creatures are common.
Drought Tolerance: Once established, Camassia is fairly drought-tolerant in summer (when it goes dormant), making it a suitable choice for xeriscaping or low-water gardens.
Invasiveness: Camassia is not considered invasive. It can slowly spread to form large colonies but is generally not aggressive or problematic.
Growing Camas (Camassia) can offer several benefits to your garden:
Fills Blooming Gap: Camas blooms in late spring to early summer, a time when many spring bulbs have finished blooming but summer perennials have yet to start. This makes it an excellent choice for maintaining continuous color in your garden.
Attracts Pollinators: The starry flowers of Camas are known to attract bees and other beneficial pollinators, making it a great addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.
Low Maintenance: Once established, Camas is relatively low maintenance. It’s also deer and rabbit resistant, which means it’s less likely to be damaged by these common garden pests.
Versatility: Camas can be used in a variety of settings, including meadow gardens, woodland borders, and alongside ponds or streams. It’s also a great addition to cottage gardens and mixed borders.
Naturalizes Well: Over time, Camas can slowly spread to form large colonies, creating a beautiful, naturalized look.
Non-Toxic: Unlike some bulbous plants, Camas is not known to be toxic to humans or pets, making it a safer choice if you have children or animals who spend time in your garden.
Given these benefits, if you’re looking for an attractive, low-maintenance plant that can bring late spring color and attract pollinators, Camas could be a great choice for your garden.
Hardiness |
3 - 8 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17 |
Plant Type | Bulbs, Perennials |
Genus | Camassia |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Late), Summer (Early) |
Height | 1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Midwest, Southwest, California, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Pacific Northwest, Northeast, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Utah |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | Bees |
Landscaping Ideas | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
Hardiness |
3 - 8 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17 |
Plant Type | Bulbs, Perennials |
Genus | Camassia |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Late), Summer (Early) |
Height | 1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average |
Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Midwest, Southwest, California, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Pacific Northwest, Northeast, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Utah |
Tolerance | Deer, Rabbit |
Attracts | Bees |
Landscaping Ideas | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!