Cusick's camass Camassia cusickii
- Phonetic Spelling
- kah-MASS-see-ah koo-SIK-ee-eye
- Description
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Camassia cusickii, or Cusick’s camass, is native to northeast Oregon and western Idaho but is planted as an ornamental throughout the United States. It grows best in moist, fertile, acidic, humusy, well-drained soils, although it can tolerate clay, in full sun to part shade throughout USDA Zones 4 through 8. The plant tolerates summer droughts, but should be kept moist during the growing season. It is relatively winter hardy, but will sustain damage at temperatures below 23 degrees F (-5 degrees C).
Left alone in appropriate soil and environment, the plant will spread. However, to grow from bulbs, dig up the small bulbs when the plants are dormant in late summer, putting 2 to 3 bulbs in a pot. Grow them in pots for another one or two years in an environment protected from freezing temperatures before planting them. Note that the bulb has to be scored to produce offsets. Plant them in the fall, about 3 to 4 inches apart, 8 to 10 per square foot, to a depth of 4 inches. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons.
Unlike other members of the Camassia genus, cusickii was not used as a food source by Native Americans. The bulbs have a bitter taste and slimy texture.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
No serious insect pests or diseases reported.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Camassia
- Species:
- cusickii
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northwestern United States
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts insects and bees.
- Bulb Storage:
- Store in a dry location protected from freezing.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Each seed capsule contains many small seeds that are black and shiny.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The 1.5-2.5’ flowering stalk supports sky blue to white flowers with showy, yellow anthers. Each flower is ¾–1" across, consisting of 6 tepals, 6 stamens with bright yellow anthers, and a green central ovary with a slender style. The tepals are light blue-violet to nearly white; they are oblong in shape and spread widely from the center of the flower. Each tepal (petal or petal-like sepal) has 1-3 poorly defined veins along its length.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Numerous narrow, green, strap-like leaves, 10 to 20 inches in length, emerge from the bulb in the spring forming a basal rosette.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Flowering stalk 1.5 to 2 feet high.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Rabbits