[Overview]
A bulbous perennial that grows in moist grasslands and has ovoid bulbs.
The leaves are simple and basal, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 20–80 cm long, with a sheathing base.
An erect flower stem 0.3–1.3 m tall bears a raceme at its tip, with six-petaled flowers that open in a star shape and bloom in order from the bottom of the inflorescence.
The flower color is blue-purple, blue, white and so on.
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 a sunny, well-drained, fertile soil with moderate moisture.
Plant the bulbs 10–15 cm deep, spaced 15–20 cm apart.
If the conditions suit it, it will flower for several years without being lifted.
During the growing period, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; keep it on the dry side during dormancy.
Apply a basal fertilizer, and also a top dressing when 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.
