Cussick's camas

Cussick's camas (Camassia cusickii) is a bulb-forming herbaceous perennial in the asparagus family, Asparagaceae, valued both as a wild native and as an ornamental garden plant. It is a forb, or non-woody flowering herb, that typically grows to about 0.9 meters in height with a moderate growth rate. Its natural range is limited to Idaho and Oregon, where it favors moist ground and tolerates full sun as well as partial sun or shade. It accepts light sandy and medium soils, and its hardiness across zones 3 to 11 gives it a broad climatic range. Because of its habit and adaptability, it is sometimes grown as a ground cover. The edible portion of the plant is its root, which can be eaten raw or cooked and is often boiled to make it more palatable, a preparation that has made it useful to those interested in foraging or in gardening with edible plants. Its pale flowers, clustered at the top of each stem, account for much of its ornamental appeal, and its tolerance of varied soils makes it workable in both natural habitats and cultivated landscapes. For growers, the plant is propagated from bulbs and prefers the moist, light to medium conditions of its native range. Although Cussick's camas is not recorded as a medicinal plant, its edible parts grow underground and can resemble those of other bulb species, so accurate identification is important before any use.