Camassia quamash (common or small camas)

General

Bulb-forming perennial plant that produces erect flowering stems up to 3 feet tall.

Leaves

Narrow and grass-like, grow up to 2 feet long from the base of the plant.

Flowers

Six narrow, blue-violet petals form a star-shape. Flowers are arranged in a raceme on the flowering stem.

Bloom

April to June.

Ecology

Grows in moist areas that are often dry by late spring, particularly grassy slopes and meadows at low to middle elevations.

Pollinators

Attracts bumble bees, mason bees, hover flies and beetles. Oregon Bee Atlas participants have documented many mason and bumble bee species visiting Camassia throughout Oregon.

References

This piece is part of the collection Native bee interactions with plants

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