Camas

Blue Camas

Camassia spp.

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• bulbs are edible raw.

• bulbs can be roasted or boiled, but are best when slow cooked and dried.

• varieties in the Pacific Northwest include Great camas (Camassia leichtlinii) and Common camas (Camassia quamash).

• grows in moist plains and foothill regions.

• warning: do not confuse bulbs with those of the poisonous Death Camases, such as Mountain Death-Camas (Zigadenus elegans) and Meadow Death-Camas (Zigadenus venenosus), which grow in similar areas and have similar looking bulbs, but have white flowers.