Camassia leichtlinii 'Blue Heaven'
- Common Name: Camassia ‘Blue Heaven’
- Height: 60 to 120 cm
- Spread: 20 to 30 cm
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Colour: light blue
- Bloom Time: Spring
- Plant Type: Bulb, Perennial
- Soil Moisture: Average, Moist
- Plant Uses: Attracts Bees, Border, Good Texture/Form
- Zone: 3A
- Fragrance: no
- Description:
Camassia, commonly known as camas lily or wild hyacinth, are late spring blooming bulbs native to North America. They are a member of the Asparagus family (Asparagaceae) with only six species in the genus, most native to the western part of the country. Camas are meadow plants, each bulb forming a tuft of green strappy leaves from which a single tall stem (raceme) emerges, loaded with dozens of individual star-shaped blooms opening from the bottom up. Protruding bright yellow stamens are a draw for a variety of pollinators. The best news is deer are not usually attracted to them. They are perfect additions to meadow and naturalistic planting styles, but fit in equally well with more traditional garden designs too.
- Other: The bulbs were so prevalent that when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first saw meadows of the common camas (Camassia quamash) Lewis wrote, “The colour of its bloom resembles lakes of clear water.” Imagine creating something similar in our gardens. There are many cultivars available with dark blue or white flowers, but “Blue Heaven’ stands apart as a particularly stunning variety with unusual icy blue flowers brushed with cream and green. It is a cross between two species: C. cusickii imparts the pale colouration while C. leichtlenii contributes a tighter form with more flowers per stem. A magical vignette would be to combine ‘Blue Heaven’ with tall late blooming white, pink, and buttery yellow tulips. Emerging perennial foliage contributes a beautiful background. Camas lilies were a staple food source for Indigenous peoples, with individual areas cultivated and cared for by one family. It is native to British Columbia
