A Native Spring-Blooming Bulb? Try Wild Hyacinth.

Camassia quamash growing in my yard

I am especially fond of spring-blooming bulbs: crocus, snowdrops, tulips, and daffodils all make me excited for the end of winter. I always plant them in my garden, even though they are not native and don’t offer much ecological benefit beyond deer snacks. During last fall’s bulb shopping, I made a concerted effort to find something native in the bulb catalog. I happened upon Camassia quamash, commonly called Wild Hyacinth or Quamash, so I chucked some in my cart.  

Quamash is native to North America from Colorado westward and northward. It is in the lily family and has grass-like leaves and a dark purple flower constructed like a thin, airy hyacinth. It likes sun and moisture-rich soil, and in the wild, it can carpet meadows in the spring. Mine is blooming now, in early May, and is under a foot tall. It’s not a big pollinator and, on its home turf, is likely to be browsed by elk and moose.  

The Eastern Version

It’s also a perfect example of why not to rely on a common name. There is another Wild Hyacinth, Camassia scilloides, that is native to Eastern and Central North America. Unlike the western Camassia, it is unavailable from everyday bulb sellers like Holland Bulb Farms or Eden Brothers because it grows from seed. 

Also called Atlantic Camas, the eastern version’s flowers look a lot like Camassia quamash, except the color is light lavender, and it has less noticeable foliage. It also prefers moist soil but thrives in shadier light conditions. It is beneficial to nectar-seeking insects. 

A Historic Food Source

Many western Native Americans ate steamed or boiled Camassia quamash bulbs, which were so important as food that they were traded as cash crops. The Blackfoot also used them medicinally to help during labor and delivery. Camassia scilloides roots were also cooked and eaten.  

Whether you add the western version to your fall bulb order or you seek out the eastern version grown from seed, this is a plant worthy of your spring garden!