Native Talk Tuesday #7

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Camasia quamash, commonly known as the Common Camas. This perennial herb, which develops from a small bulb, has numerous grass-like leaves. Due to it's distinct flowers, and abundance in the Willamette Valley, it is quite easy to spot - at least in Spring. The Common Camas is often found along the roadsides and in natural areas of western Oregon and southwestern Washington. Occurring at low to middle elevations, it is quite common in the Willamette Valley. Depending on elevation, sunlight, temperature, and latitude (how far north you are), the Common Camas blooms from April to May.

Champoeg State Park has many Common Camas (photo above) near the visitor center.

Camas bulbs were planted by the Kalapuya natives at many sites in the Willamette Valley as the bulbs were later consumed during or right after flowering. After steaming in large pots for a day to make the Camas bulbs more palatable, they were used to sweeten other foods and eaten right away, or even sun dried for storage or trade. Meriwether Lewis observed what happens when ingested in large quantities, "Assuredly they produce flatulence: when in the Indian hut I was almost blown out by strength of wind." If you feel like steaming some Camas bulbs to eat yourself, make sure you are taking the bulbs from the Common Camas; as the Meadow-Death Camas (which has white flowers) are highly toxic and potentially fatal.