Common Camas | Camassia quamash - Benton Soil And Water Conservation District

Common Camas | Camassia quamash

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Showy blue-purple flowers that grow in terminal spikes of at least 5 flowers that are each 1-2″ long.

Plant Details

Habitats	Wet Prairies, Oak Woodlands, Shallow Marshes
Habitat Notes	A wet prairie species that tolerates seasonal flooding.
Phenology	Perennial; flowering April-July
Mature Height	12-35"
Shade Preference	Sun, part shade
Soil Tolerance	Moist; light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.
Special Uses	Attractive species for pollinators
Ethnobotany	Camas continues to be a stable food source for Indigenous tribes in the Willamette Valley

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Native Plant Database

We have a large searchable database of plants that are native to the Willamette Valley and other parts of Benton County. View images and filter the list by plant characteristics

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Wet Prairie

Wet prairies were once a common habitat in the floodplain of the Willamette River. These habitats occur on poorly drained clay soils or shallow soils above bedrock. Seasonal flooding creates anaerobic…

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Oak Woodland

Oregon White Oaks dominate these woodlands and may support an open to moderately shrubby understory. Over thirty percent of the canopy shades the ground, but still filter light allowing oak seedling…

A marshy landscape with tall grasses, a few scattered tree stumps, and a dense forest in the background.

Shallow Marsh

Marshes are seasonally or continually flooded and occur in depressions, around lakes or ponds and along slow-flowing streams. Shallow marshes support dominant herbaceous vegetation which is rooted in…