Wild Hyacinth (Camas Lily): Stunning Blue Spikes for Late Spring Gardens

Chances are, you and your gardening friends haven't yet grown wild hyacinth — also called camas lily (Camassia quamash). It's not widely cultivated, but it deserves to be. Gorgeous blue spikes rise on tall stems in late spring, after daffodils and tulips fade, each stem packed with tiny star-shaped florets blooming in succession up 30-inch stems that never need staking.

I first encountered this plant at England's Chelsea Flower Show, where it stood out in a sea of blooms. I'd never seen anything like it, and promptly added bulbs to my vegetable garden border — they create a spectacular vertical focal point.

As long as the ground isn't frozen, there's still time to plant these large bulbs. Order from mail-order suppliers now while supplies last.

Quick Facts

Botanical Name: Camassia quamash
Common Names: Wild hyacinth, camas, camas lily, quamash
Origin: Native to western North America
Hardiness: -40°F (USDA zones 4–8)
Water: Average to moist soil
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Mature Size: 24–30 inches tall
Benefits: Grows in open meadows and along waterways; tolerates wet conditions; widely adaptable to soil types
Seasonal Interest: Late spring
When to Plant: Late fall or winter

Distinguishing Traits

Large bulbs produce erect stems with narrow, grass-like leaves and blue, cream, or white flowers that bloom bottom-up (like Liatris, another North American native). Camassia leichtlinii 'Caerulea' is a commonly available blue-flowered type.

Design Uses

Pair with perennials in mixed borders — common chives, lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis), and white candytuft (Iberis sempervirens 'Tahoe') create an ethereal chartreuse-blue-white combination. Planted en masse, they form a strong vertical display. Delicate blue sprays soften hardscape features like benches and walkways. They're stunning in naturalistic meadow sweeps with prairie clover and cornflower, and tolerate light shade at woodland edges or near small native trees like redbud, serviceberry, or dogwood.

This Chelsea Flower Show display showcases light-colored camas interplanted with orange and yellow Japanese primrose and variegated iris.

Planting Notes

An ephemeral bulb, camas goes dormant after flowering. Snip spent stems but allow foliage to die back naturally before removing. Mark plant locations — they disappear completely, and you won't want to disturb them when adding or removing other plants.

For strong blues, seek C. 'Blauwe Donau' (Blue Danube) through mail-order. Fun fact: Blue camas bulbs are edible and were a vital food source for First Nations peoples for centuries. A white cultivar, 'Sacajawea' (Camassia leichtlinii 'Sacajawea'), honors the Shoshone guide who helped the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804–1806) survive.