What is the scientific name for camas?

Binomial name. Camassia quamash. (Pursh) Greene. Camassia quamash, commonly known as camas, small camas, common camas, common camash or quamash, is a perennial herb.

Where can camas be found?

Common camas grows in wet meadows, wet prairies, swales, depressions, annual floodplains, moist hillsides, and streamside areas. Camas habitat is often ephemeral, drying out by late spring. Common camas grows throughout the American West to southwest Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah at elevations below 3300 meters.

Is the camas plant edible?

Edible Uses The sweet bulbs of the Common Camas are considered by many to be a Northwest native food delicacy. The taste is often compared to a baked pear, fig, or sweet potato, and can even used to sweeten other foods. The longer they’re cooked, the sweeter they get.

What was camas used for?

The Camas lily was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes and its root bulbs were collected to make bread, or roasted like a potato. During their exploration of the area, Lewis and Clark — low on food at the time — were introduced to the plant by the Shoshone and Nez Perce tribes.

Are Blue Camas poisonous?

Although not poisonous like MDC, the edible blue camas was not without its downside. Meriwether Lewis observed that upon eating blue camas in large quantities, “they occasion bowel complaints.

What animals eat camas?

Blue camas is grazed by livestock, elk, and moose. Pigs are known to consume the bulbs. The bulbs were eaten by western Indians, trappers, and early settlers. Many western Indian tribes also used the bulbs as a trade item.

Can I touch death camas?

Yes!” All fresh parts of deathcamas (leaves, bulbs, flowers) are poisonous. Dried parts (especially seeds and capsules) are even more potent. Ingestion by humans can cause severe illness and occasionally death, even for adults. Livestock poisoning from deathcamas is a serious problem in some western rangelands.

How do I get rid of death camas?

Mowing can be used to remove green foliage in early spring but is not an effective control. Repeated tillage can suppress deathcamas, but plants often resprout from bulbs left in the soil. been shown to suppress deathcamas the following year. Deathcamas is toxic to livestock.

What happens if you touch death camas?

The mature leaves and the bulbs are most toxic. Symptoms of poisoning by death camas include vomiting and excessive salivation, tremors, weakness, loss of control over body movements, convulsions, and coma.

Do deer eat camas?

high (30-60 cm), this beauty naturalizes easily and will come back year after year! Ignored by deer and rodents. Clay soil, dry soil and wet soil tolerant.

Where did the camas plant get its name?

The Camas plant ( “Camassia quamash”) is a member of the lily family and was unknown to science before the Lewis and Clark journey. The flower grows in clearings along the Columbia River. Camas, Washington and Lacamas Lake, located just upstream of Vancouver, were named after the Camas plant. “…

Where can I find Camas in my garden?

Camas are a great plant to naturalize in your garden. 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. It would be a beautiful combination! A great place to see Camassia in its native habitat is at the Camassia Natural Area.

Where does the camas plant grow in Washington?

The flower grows in clearings along the Columbia River. Camas, Washington and Lacamas Lake, located just upstream of Vancouver, were named after the Camas plant. “…

How big are the leaves on a CAMA plant?

Common Camas ( Camassia quamash (Pursh) Greene) Bulbs of common camas are 1 to 5 centimeters (0.4 to 2 inches) in diameter. Leaves are usually less than 10 and are 1 to 6 decimeters (4 to 24 inches) long. The scape is 2 to 7 decimeters (8 to 28 inches) tall and typically longer than the leaves.