Flowers · Bulbs
Quamash
Camassia leichtlinii
A late-spring bulb with spires of starry blue or cream flowers. It likes moisture while it is growing and will sit in heavier soil than a tulip.
Growing conditions
Soilclay, loam
Moisturemoist, well-drained
pHacid, neutral
Position
SunFull sun, Partial sun
Aspectnorth, east, south, west
Exposuresheltered
HardinessH4
Size
Time to maturityFlowers the following late spring
Max height0.7–0.9 m
Max spread0.1–0.2 m
In the garden
Plant 10 cm deep in autumn. It suits a damp border or a meadow that is not cut until midsummer.
Slugs may chew young shoots. It is otherwise robust.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | blue | — |
| Summer | Leaves | blue | — |
| Autumn | — | — | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
- JanDormant
- FebDormant
- MarFoliage
- AprFoliage
- Mayblue
- Junblue
- JulDormant
- AugDormant
- SepDormant
- OctDormant
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
15 October
Plant bulbs
Plant quamash 10 cm deep in soil that stays moist through spring.
10 July
Cut back
Remove faded spikes and yellowing leaves once the clump has finished.