Camassia

This group consists of hardy, deciduous, spring-flowering bulbs, which arenative to the marshes and wet meadows of western North America. These plants are suitable for growing in meadows, woodlands, borders, among shrubs and beside water gardens. Camassias have several common names such as, Camass, Indigo Squill, Meadow Hyacinth, and Quamash. The name Camass or Quamash was given to the plants by the North American Indians who cooked boiled or roasted the bulbs for food. (However, all Camass bulbs and plants are poisonous unless cooked.) Camass bulbs produce clumps of slender green leaves, about a foot in length, and spikes of flowers in late spring. The flower stalks grow from 12 to 36 inches tall, depending upon the variety, and bear as many as 40, loosely clustered, star-shaped flowers, each about 2 inches wide. Camass bloom over a period of several weeks. C. cusickii (Cusick Camass) is found wild in Oregon. Its 2-foot-tall stalks are densely covered in pale, blue flowers. C. leichtlinii (Great Camass; Leichtlin Quamash) produces dark blue-violet flowers on stalks 2 to 3 feet tall.

These bulbs are hardy from zones 4 to 7. They will survive temperatures as low as -40º F. Camass withstand neglect and readily grow in a wide variety of conditions. They will flourish in moist, heavy soil in partial shade, which makes them good choices for growing under trees and shrubs and next to bodies of water. Camass bulbs resemble large, firm Tulip bulbs, but without the protective tunic. They are often slightly pockmarked and may have blue or brown spots. Plant the bulbs in groups of three to five or more in the autumn after temperatures begin to cool. Plant them 8 inches deep and about 6 inches apart. They should have plenty of water while growing and blooming. If the plants become overcrowded, they should be divided in the summer when the leaves turn yellow.

Propagation

As mentioned above in the potting section, the clumps can be dug up and divided. Seeds may also be sown, as soon as they are ripe, in sandy soil.