Wild Hyacinth, Large camas, Suksdorf's large camas
Camassia leichtlinii

Family: Hyacinthaceae

What it is like

Camassia leichtlinii is a BULB growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to August, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Meadows, prairies and hillsides that are moist, at least in early spring.

Western N. America - British Columbia to S. California.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Bulb - raw or cooked. The bulb is about 3cm in diameter, eaten raw it has a mild, starchy flavour, but a gummy texture that reduces the enjoyment of it somewhat. It is excellent when slow baked, however, developing a sweet flavour and making a very good potato substitute. The cooked bulb can also be dried for later use or ground into a powder and used as a thickener in soups or as an additive to cereal flours when making bread, cakes etc. The bulbs can be boiled down to make a molasses, this was used on festival occasions by various Indian tribes. One report says that the bulbs contain inulin (a starch that cannot be digested by humans) but that this breaks down when the bulb is cooked slowly to form the sugar fructose which is sweet and easily digested.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in almost any soil and is tolerant of considerable neglect once it is established. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a rather heavy loam that has plenty of moisture in spring but does not remain wet over the winter. Dislikes dry soils. Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. A very ornamental plant, there are many named varieties. Plants often self-sow. A good bee plant. Plants can be naturalized in damp grass, this should not be trimmed until mid to late summer when the bulbs have flowered and the leaves have died down. This species can be confused with certain poisonous bulbs in the genus Zigadenus. Plant the bulbs 7 - 10cm deep in early autumn and then leave undisturbed. The bulbs should be planted about 20cm deep. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 12 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons. Ephemeral emerging in spring and dying back by summer every year . The root pattern is a bulb.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in a cold frame in spring. It usually germinates in 1 - 6 months at 15°c, but it can be erratic. Sow the seed thinly so that it does not need to be thinned and allow the seedlings to grow on undisturbed for their first year. Give an occasional liquid feed to ensure that the plants do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants are dormant in late summer, pot up the small bulbs putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in a cold frame before planting them out when dormant in late summer. Offsets in late summer. The bulb has to be scored in order to produce offsets.

Best place to grow: Lawn; Meadow; Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Bulb

Hardiness: 3-7

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. esculenta leichtlinii. Chlorogalum leichtlinii.