# small camas (*Camassia quamash*) Small camas is a pretty flower that grows in fields and meadows. It has bright blue petals and is loved by bees and butterflies. These flowers bloom in spring and are a special sight in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![small camas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Camassia_quamash_6374.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camassia_quamash_6374.JPG) ## Appearance The small camas has tall, slender stalks topped with clusters of star-shaped flowers, usually a vibrant lavender-blue or white. Its narrow, grass-like leaves emerge from the base, making it visually distinct from its showy blooms. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Asparagaceae - **Genus:** Camassia ## Interesting facts - After wildfires, dormant camas bulbs can quickly sprout, helping to reseed and restore burned areas! - Each stalk can have dozens of beautiful, individual flowers, but each one only lasts about a day! - Its edible bulb looks just like the deadly poisonous 'death camas' bulb – so don't eat it raw! - Native Americans widely harvested and roasted camas bulbs, often in huge underground ovens! ## Special abilities - **Deep Bulb Power:** Small camas has a deep underground bulb that stores energy, helping it survive fires and harsh winters. - **Meadow Mover:** Small camas can thrive in wet meadows and prairies, adapting its roots to various soil moistures. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Small camas clusters many vibrant, star-shaped flowers to create a bright target for busy insect pollinators. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Attracted to the nectar. - **Eats:** [Yellow-bellied Marmot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-bellied-marmot) (*Marmota flaviventris*) — Bulbs are dug up. - **Eats:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — Bulbs and foliage. ## 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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [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. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any wild plants unless you are sure they are safe and have permission from an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify small camas? 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 small camas? 20-60 cm ### How wide does small camas spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on small camas? 2-5 cm ### When does small camas bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is small camas edible? Yes ### Is small camas toxic? None ### What is small camas's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bush's Pasture Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bushs-pasture-park) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [East Glacier Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-glacier-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Headquarters Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/headquarters-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [John A. Finch Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-a-finch-arboretum) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden - [Sawtooth Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sawtooth-botanical-garden) — Idaho, US · Botanical Garden - [St. Mary Utility Area Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-mary-utility-area-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District [View all places to see small camas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/small-camas) ## 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: [Small Camas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/small-camas)