Camassia scilloides
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Camassia esculenta
- Quamasia hyacinthina
- Phonetic Spelling
- kah-MASS-see-ah sil-OY-dees
- Description
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Wild Hyacinth is a perennial wildflower often found in moist meadows, stream banks, or open woods. It is best grown from bulbs planted in moist, fertile, acidic, humusy, well-drained soils and allowed to grow in full sun to part shade. Plants develop slowly but are usually long-lived. They do not form bulb offsets but reproduce by seed. These will take up to 3 years to flower.
Flowers consist of a terminal raceme of fragrant, pale blue, pink to white flowers that bloom sequentially from the bottom of the raceme to the top. Each raceme typically holds up to 20 flowers. Basal leaves turn yellow and wither after flowering and it is dormant by mid-summer.
Wild Hyacinth will reseed itself but it is easier grown from bulbs. Place the bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart in the fall in a site where they will remain undisturbed. Provide regular moisture during spring growth and bloom. After bloom, the plant will tolerate drier conditions as the plants head for summer dormancy.
USDA lists this plant as threatened in North Carolina.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or other problems. The NC State Extension Publications list includes a factsheet on the Narcissus Bulb Fly which is known to frequent this plant.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Camassia
- Species:
- scilloides
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Eastern North America
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts bees, flies, butterflies, and wasps seeking nectar from the flowers.
- Edibility:
- Bulbs are edible. Can be confused with Zygadenus nuttallii, or Death Camas, whose bulbs appear similar, but are known to be poisonous.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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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)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/3 inch long and wide 3-celled seed capsule is green maturing to brown. Each capsule contains many small black and shiny seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowering stalk rises up to 2 feet supporting 3/4-1 inch pale blue, pink or white flowers that bloom in April and May. Six-pointed, star-shaped flowers on an elongated, loose raceme with green bracts that flare out from under the flower. Stamens are bright yellow.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Keeled, linear, grass-like leaves, 5 to 15 inches long and 1/3 inch wide, in a basal rosette. They are medium to dark green, margins entire and undersides have a prominent mid-rib.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Slender, light to medium green, and glabrous central stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Drought
