How lucky we are to have Camassia quamash as a native plant in Seattle. This spectacular bulb has a short bloom period but it makes a huge impression.
“The quawmash is now in blume and from the colour … at a short distance it resembles lakes of fine clear water, so complete is this deseption that on first sight I could have swoarn it was water.” Meriwether Lewis, June 12, 1806
Here are some camas in my native plant garden being visited by a native bee just today:
And here are some camas blooming among the grasses in my mini native prairie:
I purchased these camas as bulbs from Europe so they are not likely the locally evolved strain, but my hope is that they are close enough genetically to benefit local fauna. In addition to these purchased bulbs, I have about twenty seedling plants of great camas that I started in the last year. I can’t wait to add more of these fantastic, easy plants to my garden and to share some with neighbors and friends.