Common Camas
Latin name: Camassia quamash
Hul’q’umi’num name: Speenhw
SENĆOŦEN name: ḰȽO¸EL or SPÁÁNW̱
lək̓ʷəŋən name: qʷɫəɫ
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Description: Speenhw is a perennial plant with slender, grass-like leaves that emerge in spring from a deeply rooted bulb. The leaf tips are prone to browning. It typically takes 5 to 7 years for the plant to begin producing flowers annually. These flowers are star-shaped, about 2.5 cm wide, and range in colour from blue to purple. Each plant forms a cluster of blooms that can reach up to 60 cm in height.
Camas is native to the endangered Garry Oak ecosystem, primarily found in the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island.
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Harvest and Sustainability: Camas bulbs are among the most important traditional plant foods for Coast Salish peoples. Indigenous communities have long cultivated and cared for these plants using sophisticated land stewardship techniques, including controlled burning to reduce competing vegetation, selective harvesting, and transplanting.
Bulbs are typically harvested either in early spring before flowering or in late summer after seed production. The timing of harvest influences the flavour of the bulbs. Traditionally, women and elders are the primary harvesters, and the bulbs are cooked in underground steam pits—a method that enhances their sweetness and digestibility.
Important: Camas can be easily mistaken for deathcamas, especially outside the flowering season. While camas produces large blue to purple star-shaped flowers, deathcamas has small white flowers, and the plant itself is highly toxic.
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Uses: Camas bulbs must be thoroughly cooked until they transition from white to a rich brown and become slightly translucent. The longer they are cooked, the sweeter they become, thanks to the natural caramelization of their sugars.
Their flavour and texture are often compared to sweet potatoes, making them a delicious and versatile addition to many dishes. Camas bulbs can be served as a side dish or incorporated into stews, salads, or roasted vegetable medleys.
