The Great camas wildflower is not only captivating, it’s an important food source too.
Camassia leichtlinii, is a captivating perennial wildflower that supports a rich diversity of pollinators. The Great camas can be found in moist lowland meadows, slopes on forest edges, and in riparian areas, though it can also tolerate shade and drier, acidic soil. Its range is in the Pacific Northwest on SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, here on the Sechelt Peninsula, and further south into the United States. This showy native flower is in the Asparagus plant family and historically was traded as an important food source by Coast Salish peoples, who meticulously cultivated and harvested this plant in grasslands. This cultural tradition of harvesting Great camas is seeing some revival.
You can find this flower in our Garry Oak Meadows, growing amongst the Garry oak trees, the Kinnickinnick, and Bare-stemmed desert parsley.