Gardening Flowers Bulbs Camassia By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on June 15, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Camassia Overview Description Camassia is an often overlooked but spectacular spring bulb that takes over the show after tulips drop their petals and daffodil foliage begins to yellow. It produces spires of beautiful purple or blue flowers in late spring and early summer alongside favorites like allium, peony iris Add this cool beauty to an entryway planting for a burst of late-spring color. Plant large drifts of camassia in perennial or shrub borders; its striking blue-purple flowers are visible from long distances. Genus Name Camassia Common Name Camassia Plant Type Bulb Light Part Sun, Sun Height 1 to 3 feet Width null to 1 foot Flower Color Blue, White Season Features Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom Special Features Cut Flowers, Good for Containers Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Propagation Division Problem Solvers Deer Resistant Spring Pollinator Garden Pair camassia, a North American native, with other spring-blooming plants to create an early-season pollinator patch. Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae) adds heart-shape flowers and medium green or chartreuse foliage to the mix. False indigo stands 3 to 4 feet tall and produces wands of purple or white flowers in early summer. Midspring-blooming prairie smoke is a ground-hugging favorite that produces eye-catching fuzzy seed heads after its reddish-pink to purple flowers fade. Spiderwort, lupine, and spring-blooming phlox are also easy-to-grow pollinator favorites. Check out these tips for designing a beautiful spring bulb arrangement. Camassia Care Must-Knows Camassia plants grow best in full sun and moist, fertile, well-drained soil. They will tolerate part shade and a woodland planting area. Like other spring bulbs, camassia is planted in the fall. Plant bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Water well and cover the soil with a 2-inch layer of mulch. Camassia varieties bloom best when they get ample moisture during the spring growing season. Water plants as needed to maintain a moist—not wet—growing environment. After blooming, camassia foliage slowly turns yellow. Allow the foliage to turn completely yellow before removing it. Plants go dormant in midsummer. Got bulb questions? We've got answers. Make a Bouquet This long-lasting cut flower is a favorite of florists. Make your own bouquet by snipping stems shortly after the lowest flowers begin to open. The remainder of the flowers on the stem will open in the coming days. Cut flowers in the early morning to avoid heat stress and quickly plunge stems into a pail of water. When arranging in a vase, recut the stems and place the bouquet in a cool, brightly lit location. More Varieties of Camassia Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit