Camassia leichtlinii (great camas, "Ohinayuri")

Japanese name: オオヒナユリ （大雛百合）
Scientific name: Camassia leichtlinii

[Overview]
A bulbous perennial that grows in damp grasslands and has ovoid bulbs.
The leaves are simple and basal, linear and about 60 cm long, with a sheathing base.
An raceme is borne at the tip of an erect flower stalk 0.6–1.2 m tall, bearing many six-petaled flowers that open in a star shape, blooming in order from the bottom of the inflorescence.
The flower color is white, cream, blue, purple and so on, and the yellow anthers are conspicuous.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Uses]
The bulbs were an important food for Native Americans and settlers.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by dividing bulbs or from seed; it also spreads by self-sown seed, but plants grown from seed take 3–4 years to flower.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile soil with moderate moisture.
Plant the bulbs 10–15 cm deep, spaced about 15–20 cm apart.
If conditions suit it, it will flower for several years even if left in place.
During the growing season, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and keep it on the dry side during dormancy.
In addition to base fertilizer, apply additional fertilizer around the time the shoots emerge.
If lifting the bulbs, dig them up in early summer when the leaves begin to die back, and store them dry in a dark, well-ventilated place.
The stems are sturdy, so stakes are hardly necessary.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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