Toxicoscordion paniculatum

Common Names

Foothill Death Camas, Panicled Death Camas, Sand Corn, Death Camas

Summary

Foothill death camas is a western United States native monocot perennial herb growing from a tunicated bulb with a dark brown to black coat; a glabrous stem 20–70 cm tall rises above basal linear leaves 20–50 cm long and 6–16 mm wide, with cauline leaves sheathing and much reduced upward. An open panicle 10–30 cm long bears white to cream flowers with six tepals and a yellowish-green gland at the base; most flowers are bisexual, with some staminate, and pedicels 3–25 mm.

In cultivation, it prefers dry, well-drained habitats such as sagebrush scrub and conifer forests; it can naturalize and is Hardy in USDA zones 3b–9b; ornamental use is possible in well-drained soils tolerant of dry conditions. All parts are poisonous if ingested, bulbs especially toxic; traditional uses include crushed bulbs in poultices by Shoshone, Paiute, and Washoe.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-19.5 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3b-9b

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Bloom Color

White to cream-colored

Bloom Time

Spring

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Not specified

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and butterflies