Camas Bulbs Edible

It is a perennial herb that grows from an edible bulb.

Camas bulbs edible. It and its eastern cousin the wild hyacinth have been eaten by native american groups from british columbia to georgia for millennia. Common camas is a stout robust plant 12 28 inches 30 70 cm tall with a dense inflorescence. Camassia quamash bulbs are an excellent choice for moist loam and clay soils. But few people eat these bulbs anymore.

The leaves are long and narrow grass like and emerge from the base. Common camas edible uses. Stunning in flower beds ornamental borders and rock gardens great camas is the northwest s gift. What you are looking at above is a bowl of the bulbs from camassia quamash or blue camas.

Before eating camas bulbs or any plant for that matter check with your local extension office or other reputable resource or herbalist to ensure its proper identification. And it is not only because the knowledge of them has been lost. The sweet bulbs of the common camas are considered by many to be a northwest native food delicacy. More than three flowers in an inflorescence may be open at one time.

Great camas edible uses. First documented by lewis and clark in the cascade mountains where the bulb was an important food plant for the native americans this lovely wildflower is very cold hardy and long lived. It should be noted that while the bulbs of this camas plant are edible it is often confused with a similar toxic plant referred to as death camas zigadenus venenosus. Common camas flowers are light to deep blue.