# Mountain Deathcamas (*Anticlea elegans*) Mountain Deathcamas is a beautiful plant with tall, slender stems and white flowers. It grows in mountain areas and is known for its unique look, but it's important to be careful around it! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Mountain Deathcamas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anticlea_elegans_%28Glacier_National_Park%252C_Montana_-_2006%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Adam Humphreys, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anticlea_elegans_%28Glacier_National_Park%252C_Montana_-_2006%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Mountain Deathcamas has a single, tall, unbranched stem topped with a dense cluster of many small, star-shaped flowers. Its petals are typically creamy-white to greenish-white, contrasting with long, narrow, grass-like leaves that grow from its base. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Melanthiaceae - **Genus:** Anticlea ## Interesting facts - Despite its pretty looks, every part of the Mountain Deathcamas is highly poisonous! - Its name 'Deathcamas' comes from how dangerous it is to eat, especially for livestock. - Native Americans carefully distinguished this toxic plant from edible 'camas' look-alikes. - This plant stores energy in a bulb underground, much like an onion, to survive cold winters. ## Special abilities - **Toxic Shield:** Mountain Deathcamas has powerful toxins in its leaves and bulb that help it defend against most hungry animals. - **Spring Sprouter:** Mountain Deathcamas can grow from a buried bulb, allowing it to quickly emerge after winter and bloom early. - **Insect Magnet:** Mountain Deathcamas produces clusters of showy flowers, attracting various insects for essential pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-80 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Black-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus melanopygus*) — Visits its flowers, transferring pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sheep) (*Ovis aries*) — Can be poisoned by ingesting the toxic leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — May eat the plant, leading to severe illness or death. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme Never touch or eat any part of this plant without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mountain 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 Mountain Deathcamas? 20-80 cm ### How wide does Mountain Deathcamas spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Mountain Deathcamas? 1-2 cm ### When does Mountain Deathcamas bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is Mountain Deathcamas edible? No ### Is Mountain Deathcamas toxic? Deadly ### What is Mountain Deathcamas's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Sherburne Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sherburne-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-earth-rettenmund-prairie-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Denbigh Experimental Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denbigh-experimental-forest) — North Dakota, US · Botanical Garden - [Kennecott](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennecott) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Pilot Bay Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pilot-bay-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Mountain Deathcamas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mountain-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: [Mountain Deathcamas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mountain-deathcamas)