(Camassia quamash)
Common Camas once provided a stable and reliable sustenance to many First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast.
A Camas Root Flower consists of an oval bulb, grass-like leaves, and a tall stalk of flowers. The bulbs are constructed from densely packed, fleshy leaf bases and are covered in a black-to-brown tunic. They range from 1.5 to 3.5 cm across to two to five cm long.
In spring, several narrow, slightly folded leaves rise erect from the bulb, but later become lax, reaching 50 to 60 cm long. A stiff flower stalk rises smartly among the leaves. Camas Root Flowers have a flower stalk that may reach 100 cm. Several blooms are loosely dispersed around the upper part of the stem.
Six narrow petals form the showy bloom. From its center protrude six stamens and a single prominent pistil. The petals of great camas radiate evenly around the center of the flower. The flower colour ranges from a pale bluish hue to intense dark purple. On rare occasions, white flowers can be found in the wild.
Camas begin to flower in March in Victoria. Flowers open progressively up the stem, extending the blooming interval into April and May. In colder inland locations, bloom time extends from May to June. The fruit matures during the summer into an elongated rattle-like capsule full of shiny black seeds.
The range of the camas extends from Vancouver Island across southern B.C. to Alberta and south to California. It thrives in moist meadows, prairies, and grassy clearings. Look for it on rocky knolls and near oak trees in the Victoria area. It abounds on the east side of Vancouver Island in pockets of rich soil at the base of rocky knolls and natural clearings in the woods, and you may see it thriving in dry roadside ditches.
First Nations peoples consumed and traded Camas bulbs. Gatherers would venture out in early summer when the plants were in their capsule stage and could be distinguished from the similar-looking but inedible Death Camas. The creamy white, small-flowered heads of death Camas are easy to recognize when in bloom, but the underground bulbs can be difficult to identify. For this reason, never consume these bulbs from the wild unless you know how to harvest them.
First Nations people would bring sacks bulging with bulbs to great cooking pits dug in the soil and lined with hot rocks. Cooking lasted a day, during which time the bulbs would turn soft and brown, while inside, they developed a buttery texture and delicious flavour of roasted nuts. They are quite tasty.