Edible Camas Bulbs

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

Edible camas bulbs. The older i got the more i wanted to know about the plants around me especially the culturally important ones like camas. Be very sure of your identification as there is a similar plant the death camas that looks close enough to a blue camas to keep you on your toes. Be sure of your identification of camas bulbs before eating them. The plant is most common in the mountain west where there can be whole fields full of it.

Citation needed it grows in the wild in great numbers in moist meadows. The bulbs from this wildflower grow a little closer to home. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Common camas is a stout robust plant 12 28 inches 30 70 cm tall with a dense inflorescence.

Photo by holly a. Part of what i do in my leisure time is read scientific articles about the wild food plants that live here in north america. 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 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. The leaves are long.

Great camas is a stunning and iconic northwest wildflower with a sweet edible bulb and blue purple flowers. I could imagine the area without cattle and without crops. It is in flower from may to june and the seeds ripen from july to august. By hank shaw on july 21 2011 updated june 23 2020 18 comments.

Edible camas bulbs and is toxic. It is hardy to zone uk 3 and is not frost tender. Common camas flowers by mid may setting seed and then going dormant into it s underground bulb until emerging the next spring. Light sandy medium loamy and heavy clay soils and.

Camassia lily another edible hyacinth cousin is the blue camas camassia quamash also known as camassia lily. Camassia quamash is a bulb growing to 0 3 m 1ft by 0 2 m 0ft 8in. Blue camas and other edible bulbs. The species is hermaphrodite has both male and female organs and is pollinated by bees.

They are perennial plants with basal linear leaves measuring 8 to 32 inches 20 to 81 cm in length which emerge early in the spring. The sweet bulbs of the great camas are considered by many to be a northwest native food. Common camas is a stunning and iconic northwest wildflower with a sweet edible bulb and blue purple flowers. The blue would have seemed endless.

Camassia is a genus of plants in the asparagus family native to western north america common names include camas quamash indian hyacinth camash and wild hyacinth. If you want to experiment with types of edible flower bulbs you can buy the lampascioni bulbs in jars at certain upscale gourmet markets. Edible bulbs a forager s conundrum.