The camas flower, also known as wild hyacinth or camassia, was long an essential source of food for indigenous North Americans. Today, these plants are also prized for their ornamental value. Camassia spp. is a long-lived perennial that blooms for many years and, when left to grow wild, can fill meadows with racemes of purple and blue blossoms. A gift of camas sends a message of pride and strength. In this guide, I’ll run through everything you need to know about Camas flower meaning, symbolism, popular types, uses, and essential growing tips.
Camas Flowers – The Essentials:
| Plant Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Genus: | Camassia |
| Scientific Name: | Camassia sp. |
| Native Range: | North America |
| Colors: | Blue, purple, white |
| Characteristics: | Bell-shaped flowers with long, slender leaves |
| Mature Height: | 1 to 3 feet |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to early summer |
| Growing Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Sunlight: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Watering: | Moderate watering with well-draining soil |
| Soil: | Moist to wet, fertile soil |
| Fertilizing: | Not typically necessary, but these flowers can benefit from a light application of balanced fertilizer in the spring |
| Pests: | Generally pest-free |
| Pruning: | Deadheading can promote continued flowering |
| Symbolism: | Represents strength, consciousness, and pride. |
About Camas Flowers
Camas flowers belong to the Camassia genus, which is a member of the Asparagaceae family. The asparagus family contains about 2,900 species across about 114 genera. All are flowering plants and native to North America.
Camas flowers are perennials that grow from bulbs. The plants grow to about three feet tall, with stems that emerge from a clump of long, grasslike foliage.
From late spring through early summer, racemes of brilliant blue to deep purple to white blooms appear atop the stems. Flowers are star-shaped, with six petals and prominent stamens.
When left to their own devices, camas flowers self-sow easily. In their native habitats, they often spread widely to create swaths of color.
Commonly found species include small camas or C. quamash, with a native range across the western U.S. from Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana west to the coast and up to British Columbia.
Large camas C. leichtlinii is largely found on the western side of the coastal states. C. quamash has blue-purple flowers, while C. leichtlinii has blue to white flowers.
In the plains, C. Angusta blooms with white, lilac, purple, and blue flowers in spring. Its native range stretches from Louisiana and Mississippi to Iowa, India, and Missouri. C. scilloidesi is native to the eastern half of the U.S. and north to Ontario. This 2-foot-tall plant blooms with purple and blue blossoms from late spring through early summer.
The Meaning & Symbolism of Camas Flowers
The camas flower carries positive symbolic meaning related to strength, consciousness, and pride. A gift of camas blossoms might send a message that says, “I’m proud of you” or “be proud of yourself.” You can also send a gift of camas flowers to let someone know you see and appreciate them and their strength.
For indigenous North Americans, the flowers played many important cultural roles. For instance, the name C. quamash comes from the Nez Perce word qém’es, which refers to the camas flower’s bulb and means “sweet.”
Many used roasted or boiled bulbs as a food source. At the turn of the 19th century, explorer Merriweather Lewis devoted 1,500 words to the camas bulb, which a Nez Perce tribe had provided and saved his expedition from starvation.
In Canada, First Nations tribes also used the plants to barter for other goods. The Victoria, B.C. area was originally called Camosun, or “a place to gather Camas.”
For some tribes, such as the Nez Perce, the camas bulbs are viewed as sacred and a gift from the creator. Some tribes centered their calendars and migrations around the camas harvest. The plants’ importance is memorialized in artwork such as sculpture by First Nations artist Carolyn Memnook, featured in Victoria’s inner harbor area.
Uses and Benefits of Camas
Tribes across North America cultivated and relied on camas bulbs as an essential food source. For instance, in what’s now Oregon, the Paiute, Chinookans, Kalapuyans, and Plateau peoples all harvested the bulbs in the spring and early summer.
Women used special sticks and antlers to dig the bulbs. The camas would then be baked, ground into powder, boiled, or cooked over a bed of hot stones for two days at a time.
Raw camas contain inulin, a nondigestible substance. Cooking the bulbs renders them edible and lends a sweet taste. Bulbs could be cooked down into sweet syrup, used to flavor other foods, or ground into flour to make cakes that fed people over the winter.
Once, great swathes of land were covered with camas. Native populations both harvested and cultivated the bulbs. After colonization, the camas fields have all but disappeared.
Today, some tribes still use camas as a good source. But the plants are mostly prized for their ornamental value. The bulbs are also used in environmental restoration projects in prairies, wetlands, and savannahs.
How to Grow Camas
Camassia grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8. It prefers sites with full sun or up to about 25 percent shaded exposures.
Plant camas flowers in soil that’s rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic pH of about 6.0 is ideal. The plants prefer moist yet well-draining soil. Camas can handle sites that are occasionally wet but don’t like prolonged wet feet.
Plant camas bulbs about three to four inches deep in early fall. Leave them undisturbed over the winter. Green, grasslike foliage appears in spring.
Camas are beautiful in flower beds and borders. You can grow them in well-draining containers. But they really shine when allowed to self-sow in a meadow, large garden bed, or other naturalized areas.
Caring for Camas
Camas need little care. Be sure they don’t sit in standing water for too long, though they can handle a bit of wet soil in the late winter and spring.
You can store bulbs by keeping them in a dry space that won’t drop below 68 degrees F.
Best Companion Plants for Camas
Camas look lovely in a naturalized flower bed or meadow-style landscape. Companion plants may include ornamental onion (Allium hollandicum), a perennial that also thrives in moist spots with full sun to partial shade.
Blue bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) also thrives in similar conditions. This easy-care groundcover can help fill in beds around camas flower plants. Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum) is another possible companion plant. It’s a good choice for a native garden and can tolerate various environmental conditions.
Camas Flower Crafts
Camas flowers are especially lovely when pressed. Simply cut blooms off at the base, and flatten them gently into their star shape.
Arrange flowers on paper towels, and cover with another paper towel. Insert into a book or flower press.
Wait at least one month. Check on the flowers to ensure they’re in the desired shape. Then let them sit until fully dry.
Camas Flower FAQs:
How long do Camas bloom?Â
Camas flowers bloom from late spring through early summer. In their native habitat, flowers appear from May through June.
What is the ideal climate for growing Camas?Â
Camas are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 8.
Can Camas grow in containers or indoors?Â
You can grow camas in containers. Ensure the container has adequate drainage holes, as camas do not thrive in standing water. Camas should be grown outdoors.
How often should I water my Camas?Â
In their native habitat, camas often grow in areas that are wet in winter, moist in spring, then dry out slower over summer. In your landscape, camas will prefer moist, well-draining soil, so don’t overwater them.
When is the best time of year to plant Camas?Â
Plant camas bubs in fall.
How can I protect my Camas from pests and diseases?Â
Protect against diseases and pests by avoiding overwatering.
How can I extend the lifespan of Camas after they’ve been cut?Â
Cut flowers at an angle, place them immediately in clean cold water, and remove all foliage from below the waterline. Keep out of the heat, sun, and drafts, and change water often.
Wrapping Up
The camas flower has long been an important food source for indigenous North Americans. The blue, purple, and white flowers are also prized for their ornamental value in the landscape and make a beautiful addition to floral gifts. In the language of flowers, a gift of camas flowers sends a message associated with pride, strength, and acknowledgment. These perennials are not just lovely and useful; they’re also easy to grow.
Linsay is an American copywriter based in the Pacific Northwest with a background in academic writing and research. Linsay holds Master's degree in both Anthropology and Library and Information Sciences and has written for numerous national and international publications including USA Today, SFGATE, Hunker, and The Bump across an array of topics in the gardening, green living, and travel sectors. When she's not writing, you'll usually find Linsay reading, kayaking, sailing, snowboarding, or working in her garden.
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