Camassia leichtlinii – Large Camas seeds

Description

Camassia leichtlinii is a tall, graceful bulbous perennial with spires of blue to violet star-shaped flowers in late spring. Native to moist meadows of western North America, it’s both a beautiful garden addition and a traditional food plant.

The bulbs are edible when slow-cooked, developing a sweet, nutty flavour reminiscent of chestnut or caramelised onion. In traditional use, they were baked in earth ovens or long-simmered — methods that convert the natural inulin content into digestible sugars. In a modern setting, this is easily achieved by slow-roasting in the oven or slipping them into the back of the woodstove over several hours. They’re best harvested in late summer once the foliage has died back, and can be eaten whole, mashed, or dried and ground into flour.

Plants reach 60–120 cm tall, with strappy foliage and striking flower stalks. They prefer full sun to dappled shade and moist, well-drained soils that stay damp in spring. They naturalise well in meadows, swales, and damp borders, especially where winters are cool. Hardy to –30°C and well suited to most parts of New Zealand with a proper winter.

Chilling for Flowering:
As a true cold-climate species, Camassia leichtlinii requires winter chill to flower reliably — no special effort is needed in temperate parts of the country.

Germination and Cold Stratification:
Seed requires 3 months of cold, moist stratification (1–5°C). After chilling, sow in cool soil (10–15°C); germination can take several weeks to months. Plants are long-lived but may take 3–5 years from seed to flower.

Outdoor Stratification Tip:
Sow in autumn in trays or pots and leave outdoors in a rodent-proof spot. Winter temperatures will naturally stratify the seeds, and germination should begin as spring arrives.