description Common Camas Overview
Common camas, Camassia quamash, is a bulb-forming perennial wildflower native to western North America. It produces clusters of blue to violet, star-shaped flowers in spring and commonly grows in seasonally moist meadows and open grasslands. Its cooked bulbs were an important food and trade resource for many Indigenous peoples, but safe identification matters because the similar-looking death camas is poisonous.
insights Ranking position
Common Camas ranks #9 of 341 in the Wildflower ranking, behind Ram's Head Lady's Slipper, ahead of Virginia Bluebells.
help Common Camas FAQ
Can common camas bulbs be eaten?
Common camas bulbs were traditionally pit-cooked for long periods by Indigenous peoples of western North America, which converts their stored carbohydrates into sweeter, more digestible food. They should not be eaten raw or casually harvested without expert identification.
How can common camas be distinguished from poisonous death camas?
Common camas usually bears blue to violet flowers, while death camas commonly has cream or pale flowers. Color alone is not a safe test, especially outside flowering season, and the two plants can grow in the same habitat.
Where does Camassia quamash naturally grow?
It is native to western North America and favors seasonally wet meadows, open grasslands, and similar habitats. Its range extends from parts of western Canada into the western United States.
What conditions does common camas need in a garden?
Camassia quamash performs well in sun or partial shade with moisture during its spring growth period. Like many bulbs from seasonal meadows, it can tolerate drier soil after flowering and summer dormancy begin.
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