great camas

Camassia leichtlinii

Great camas is a beautiful flower that blooms in spring. Its star-shaped blue flowers grow in clusters and attract many pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The great camas has tall, slender stalks topped with spires of star-shaped, six-petaled flowers, typically deep blue to violet. Its long, grass-like leaves emerge from the base. Visually, it stands out with its striking blue fields in spring meadows.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyAsparagaceaeGenusCamassia

great camas

Interesting facts

Before potatoes, its cooked bulbs were a vital food source for many Indigenous peoples!

Each flower stalk can unfurl up to 80 beautiful star-like blossoms at once!

Indigenous peoples often managed vast camas fields with controlled fire to keep them healthy!

The great camas is related to asparagus and onions, but you only eat its tasty bulb!

Special abilities

Great camas stores energy in its bulb, which helps it survive harsh winters and grow back strong each spring.

Great camas produces many tiny seeds, helping it spread to new areas and ensure its populations thrive.

Great camas has a deep root system that helps it find water deep in the soil, even during drier periods.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-100 cm
Spread: 30-45 cm
Flower Size: 2-5 cm
Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

collects nectar and pollen

pollinates

Western bumblebee

Bombus occidentalis

collects nectar and pollen

eats

Yellow-bellied marmot

Marmota flaviventris

digs up and consumes bulbs

eats

Mule deer

Odocoileus hemionus

browses on leaves and shoots

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Cluster Flower

Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.