Camassia scilloides
Atlantic camas
Overview
Camassia scilloides is a bulb-forming perennial in the asparagus family, native to moist meadows, prairies, and open woods of eastern and central North America. Each bulb produces a clump of narrow, grass-like basal leaves 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long in early spring. A leafless flowering stalk rises 12-24 inches (30-60 cm), carrying a slender raceme of 10-40 star-shaped flowers. Each flower spans about 1 inch (2.5 cm), with six pale blue to lavender or white tepals around six yellow-anthered stamens, opening from the base of the spike upward. Bloom lasts roughly three weeks in April and May. After flowering, the foliage yellows and the plant goes dormant by midsummer, leaving bare ground until the following spring. The species grows in full sun to light shade on soils that are moist in spring and drier in summer, and tolerates clay. Bulbs multiply slowly into clumps and self-sow where soil stays open. Spring flowers draw native bees and other pollinators. Summer dormancy leaves gaps that later perennials can fill.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, from Ontario and Pennsylvania west to Kansas and south to Georgia and Texas. It grows in moist prairies, glades, meadows, and open woodlands.Suggested Uses
Grown in native plant gardens, moist meadows, rain gardens, and prairie plantings for spring bloom. Spaced 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) apart, bulbs naturalize into drifts over several years. Used among later-emerging perennials that hide the summer-dormant gaps.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 2'
Width/Spread4" - 9"
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open in April and May, lasting about three weeks. Blooms emerge from the base of the raceme upward over one to two weeks. Plants raised from seed first flower in their third or fourth year.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Pale blue to lavender or white, star-shapedFoliage Description
Green, narrow, grass-like basal leavesGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to light shade in soil that holds moisture in spring and dries through summer. Set bulbs 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) deep in autumn in loam or clay loam. Foliage yellows and dies back by midsummer as the plant goes dormant, and the bare ground can be interplanted with later perennials. Leave the leaves to wither in place, since they feed the next year's bulb. Soils that stay waterlogged in summer rot the dormant bulbs. Clumps multiply slowly and can be lifted and divided in autumn once the foliage has died down.Pruning
Remove spent flower stalks after bloom where self-seeding is unwanted, leaving the foliage to die back on its own. Clear withered leaves once they yellow in early summer. No other pruning is needed.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons