Camassia quamash
Common quamash
- Height × spread
- 0.9m – 0.9m × 0.3m – 0.3m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This is a plant for a meadow or open woodland, and is able to take some shade. Camassia like heavy soil that is moist in spring. It flowers from May to July and its blooms are in shades of blue or white. There is one form 'Blue Melody' that has variegated foliage. The identity of the individual species causes many problems. Camassia quamash is smaller than the similar 'Camassia leichtlinii' and its forms. It is unlikely to be as much as 80cm in height, and is often half that. It has slender stems that carry the six-petalled somewhat starry flowers. The flowers have one of the lower petals (technically called tepals) that stand noticeably separate from the other five. The flower also retains its shape as the fruit (a capsule) develops and then withers without wrapping itself about the fruit capsule. This is a native over much of the western part of the USA and there are a number of subspecies which would be hard to track down in the UK.
- Flower colour
- Blue
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 0.9m – 0.9m
- Spread
- 0.3m – 0.3m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Gravel garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, likes part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- Acid (ericaceous), Neutral
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, most are hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover, Bee attraction
- Hazards
- No
AutumnNow
Autumn - late · Outdoors
Apply mulch
Spread organic material around the plant being careful not to bury its crown, or to put the mulch above the point at which the plant has been grafted in the case of trees.
A mulch is a covering that can: protect the soil surface from rain, heat and cold; deter weeds; provide nutrients. Organic indicates that material has vegetative origin e.g. manure, compost. Synthetics i.e. plastics, or stones are often called mulches.
Autumn - mid · Planting
Divide while dormant
Clumps of bulbs, corms or rhizomes can be divided when the plant is dormant. The divided bulbs or corms can immediately be replanted at a little distance from each other, or moved to other locations.
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with sequestrol
If plants are acid loving and grown in soil with little acidity, or in a container, or are watered with limey tap water an annual feed with sequestrol (iron chelate) is highly beneficial. Follow guidelines on the packet. Will also 'blue-up' hydrangeas.
For hydrangeas that have good blue flowers in acid soil, this product can be used with alkaline soil to turn the flowers blue. This is most effective when the soil is neutral or just slightkly alkaline.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Found in
More Camassia
Camassia
Quamash, Camass
Camassia cusickii
Cusick's camass
Camassia leichtlinii
Leichtlin's camass
Camassia leichtlinii 'Alba'
Leichtlin's camass
Camassia leichtlinii 'Maybelle'
Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii
Leichtlin's suksdorfii camass
Camassia quamash 'Orion'
Common quamash
Camassia cusickii
Cusick's camass