# Meadow Deathcamas (*Toxicoscordion venenosum*) Meadow Deathcamas is a beautiful plant with white flowers that grow in meadows. But be careful! This plant is very poisonous and should not be touched or eaten. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Meadow Deathcamas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Zigadenus_venenosus_0116.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zigadenus_venenosus_0116.JPG) ## Appearance The Meadow Deathcamas has a slender stem topped with a cluster of many small, pale yellow to creamy white, star-shaped flowers. Its narrow, grass-like leaves grow from the base, making it easy to mistake for edible wild onions before it blooms. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Melanthiaceae - **Genus:** Toxicoscordion ## Interesting facts - Early settlers sometimes used its highly poisonous bulb to make a deadly arrow poison. - Even a tiny bite of this plant can be deadly for humans and many animals. - Its scientific name, Toxicoscordion, literally means 'toxic garlic,' warning of its danger! - Some insects, like certain beetle larvae, can actually munch on this toxic plant safely. ## Special abilities - **Toxic Shield:** Meadow Deathcamas can produce deadly toxins that make it unpalatable or even fatal to animals attempting to eat it. - **Underground Powerhouse:** Meadow Deathcamas has a bulb deep underground that stores energy, helping it survive droughts and reappear each spring. - **Tricky Impersonator:** Meadow Deathcamas has leaves that look very similar to edible wild onions, which can confuse hungry animals. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 5-15 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Ingesting it can cause severe illness or death. - **Eaten by:** Domestic Sheep (*Ovis aries*) — Highly vulnerable to its potent toxic compounds. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits its creamy white flowers to collect nectar. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Toxic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/toxic): Toxic organisms contain substances that are poisonous and can cause adverse effects upon exposure. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme Do not touch or eat any part of this plant. Always ask an adult if you're unsure. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Meadow Deathcamas? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Meadow Deathcamas? 10-60 cm ### How wide does Meadow Deathcamas spread? 5-15 cm ### How big are the flowers on Meadow Deathcamas? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Meadow Deathcamas bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Meadow Deathcamas edible? No ### Is Meadow Deathcamas toxic? Deadly ### What is Meadow Deathcamas's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [North Entrance Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/north-entrance-road-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Fort Yellowstone](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-yellowstone) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site - [Dionisio Point Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dionisio-point-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Simson Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/simson-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Sooke Mountain Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sooke-mountain-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Meadow Deathcamas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/meadow-deathcamas) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Meadow Deathcamas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/meadow-deathcamas)