Camassia quamash

Common Names

Quamash, Camas, Common Camas, Camash, Small Camas, Wild Hyacinth, Blue Camas

Summary

Camassia quamash is a clump-forming bulbous perennial native to western North America. It grows from a persistent bulb and produces upright flowering stems 20–90 cm tall with basal, grass-like leaves. In late spring to early summer, dense racemes bear blue star-shaped flowers with six tepals and bright yellow stamens, creating a striking blue display. The plant has historical value as an edible bulb food for Native American peoples and can gently reseed to establish colonies where conditions suit.

For cultivation, Camassia quamash prefers moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a range of garden soils. It is hardy in zones 4–8 and can naturalize in meadows, borders, and informal plantings; propagation occurs by seed or bulbs, with seeds requiring 42–100 days of cold, moist stratification at 1–5 °C to improve germination, fall sowing yielding one-leaf seedlings in spring. When grown from bulbs, plant about 12 cm deep and 15–20 cm apart in moist, humus-rich soil; after flowering, foliage should die back naturally to replenish energy, and divisions or offsets can be used to manage clumps. Edible bulbs have historical use by Native American tribes, but caution is advised to correctly identify camas from Death camas before eating.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

12-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun; tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained, humus-rich loam soil

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.1-7.8, all soil pH levels acceptable (acidic, alkaline, or neutral)

Bloom Color

Blue

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees and other pollinators