Camas Bulbs Definition

Camas are a great plant to naturalize in your garden.

Camas bulbs definition. Camassia is a genus of plants in the asparagus family native to western north america. With edible bulbs compare death camas. The six petaled flowers vary in color from pale. Noun any of several plants of the genus camassia of the lily family especially c.

If you ve already tossed narcissus bulbs hither and yon to naturalize an area of your landscape consider adding the native camas into the mix. 1805 in the meaning defined above. History and etymology for camas. In fact native american tribes of the american west relied on the bulbs for sustenance.

Common camas is a stout robust plant 12 28 inches 30 70 cm tall with a dense inflorescence. Camassias are late spring blooming bulbs that are native to north america. Camassia esculenta is a beautiful spring blooming native north american plant that will grow in usda plant hardiness zones 3 8. A camas plant consists of an oval bulb somewhat fleshy grass like leaves and a tall stalk of flowers.

This pretty flowering bulb is a member of the asparagus family and was an important food staple for both native americans and early explorers to our country. Common camas flowers are light to deep blue. They range from 1 5 to 3 5 centimetres across to two to five centimetres long. Camassia has been included lately in family agavaceae using dna studies and biochemical techniques.

This camassia bulb puts on a great show and probably quamash is from a north american native language. The camassia lily bulb camassia quamash syn. The problem however is that harvesting the bulbs kills the plant and. First known use of camas.

More than three flowers in an inflorescence may be open at one time. The bulbs from this wildflower grow a little closer to home. It grows in the wild in great numbers in moist meadows. Any of a genus camassiaand especially c.

The bulbs are constructed from densely packed fleshy leaf bases and are covered in a black to brown tunic. It would be a beautiful combination. It is a perennial herb that grows from an edible bulb. Quamash of western north america having long clusters of blue to white flowers and edible bulbs.

Common names include camas quamash indian hyacinth camash and wild hyacinth. Quamash of western north america having grasslike leaves a raceme of blue flowers and a bulb that has traditionally been an important food for various native american peoples. Camassia lily another edible hyacinth cousin is the blue camas camassia quamash also known as camassia lily. Any of several plants of the genus camassia especially c.

They are perennial plants with basal linear leaves measuring 8 to 32 inches in length which emerge early in the spring. The leaves are long and narrow grass like and emerge from the base. A great place to see camassia in its native habitat is at the camassia natural area.