When Lewis and Clark first saw the meadows filled with Common Camas, Lewis wrote, “the colour of its bloom…resembles lakes of clear water.” Common Camas (Camassia quamash), a late spring blooming perennial bulb, will add a pop of color to your garden bed just as your tulip blossoms start to fade and your bearded irises start to bud.
Native to Pacific Northwest prairies and marshes, the deep blue-violet flowers of the Common Camas grow along a 12-24 inch stalk rising from a rosette of long, narrow grass-like leaves at its base. It thrives in full sun and prefers soil that is wet in winter and that dries out by summer.
Once established, Common Camas will naturalize and multiply from baby bulbs forming from the original bulb. This makes them a wonderful addition to garden borders, in wildflower drifts or meadows. Camas flowers are not only beautiful; they also attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. They are a wonderful addition to an ornamental or native landscape.
Common Camas has a rich history in this region, deeply valued by the Salish people and used as foundational food for many generations. Rattlesnake Lake’s name originated from fields of Camas that grew in that area. In summer, the dried seed pods would rattle in the wind much like a rattlesnake.
For a taller, showier option, we also have Great Camas (Camassia leichtlinii ‘Caerulea’) or White Camas (Camassia leichtlinii ‘Alba’) both reaching a height of 28” – 32”. These are a perfect companion in a spring garden bed as they rise above spent daffodils and tulips.
Camas bulbs are available at Squak Mt. beginning in mid-September. Plant them anytime in autumn and look forward to a sea of deep blue blooms in your garden next spring.