Description

This large camas grows in moist areas of the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and northern coast ranges. From a rather large, smooth bulb It grows as a clump of basal, lance-shaped leaves, looking much like grass. In spring a tall flower stem arises with multiple violet-blue flowers. After dropping seed in the summer the entire plant will go dormant - no above ground growth - until the next cool season. Since Suksdorf’s large camas grows in moist areas, the bulbs are quite tolerant of moisture in the summer time. They actually require moisture year round. Camas bulbs may be combined with other moisture loving plants such as columbine, Aquilegia ssp., and buttercups, Ranunculus ssp., sneezeweed, ssp. Helenium, and some lupines, Lupinus ssp., to establish a moist meadow. Camas seems to tolerate root competition so it may be planted among other plants.