Prairie camas
Camassia angusta
Last reviewed: September 2026
Camassia angusta, or prairie camas, is a bulb forming forb that blooms in April and May with white to pale lavender flower spikes. It grows well in full sun on medium moisture prairie and glade soils across the central United States.
Toxicity unknown
Prairie camas (Camassia angusta) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
medium
Size
12"–24" H × 4"–8" W
Bloom
Apr, May
Native to
AR, IA, IL, IN and 4 more states
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 460 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Prairie camas.
Browse plants for this ecoregion
Bulbous perennial with grass-like basal leaves and a tall spike of star-shaped blue flowers in spring. Foliage goes dormant and disappears by early summer.
Growing Prairie camas
Grow Prairie camas in full sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 4 to 8 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Prairie camas is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.
Works well in: front yard, mid zone.
- foliage dies back and disappears by early summer, leaving a bare gap
Wildlife value
Early spring blooms provide an important nectar source for bees before most other flowers emerge.
Common questions
- When does prairie camas bloom?
- Camassia angusta typically flowers in April and May, sending up a single tall spike of star shaped white to pale lavender blooms.
- What pollinates Camassia angusta?
- Bees are the main visitors to prairie camas, working the spike of flowers for nectar and pollen during its spring bloom period.
- What growing conditions does prairie camas need?
- Prairie camas does best in full sun with medium moisture, and it tolerates drier soil once its spring growth cycle finishes and the bulb goes dormant.
- What kind of habitat suits prairie camas?
- It grows in prairies, glades, and open rocky or clay soils that stay moist in spring and dry out later in the season.
- Is Prairie camas HOA-friendly?
- Prairie camas is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Prairie camas? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.