Blue Camas (Ep. 1) - Botany with Brit

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Today we are learning about Blue Camas, a beautiful flower that was also a staple food of Indians in the Northwest. Did you know that when Lewis and Clark first came across Blue Camas, it was so bountiful that they initially thought that they had happened upon a lake?
I would speculate that the plant might have been so abundant because the native populations were intentionally cultivating it as a food crop. Even if it were to fall short of the definition of "agriculture," they were surely encouraging it through controlled burning to maintain meadows. The Coast Salish had camas beds that could be inherited. Each summer they removed rocks and weeds from the plots, harvested the large bulbs, and left the smaller bulbs to grow.
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[@lawsondrinkard8551]

Thanks Brit!

[@BotanywithBrit]

glad you like it!

[@trenomas1]

Don't leave this plant alone. During cultivation, they can be spread. In fact, many believe that camas has diminished in number _because_ people have stopped foraging and replanting.

[@BotanywithBrit]

Hi Trent! Thanks so much for this info! In a wild foods class I took they said something similar!

[@megansamps]

Yes, I read that the bulbs under the ground can spread out sort of like tumors of the main bulb. So traditionally people would dig up the plant and take the bulbs around the main bulb and then unbunch them/ spread them out. The seeds are also easy to collect and re-plant. BUT the flowers take about 3 years to bloom. Seeds are planted in the fall so they experience frost/winter to open up the seed for germination. The death camas flowers white.

[@elmartell5724]

Thanks for the info! There's a park near my home with thousands of these about to bloom

[@trenomas1]

@@elmartell5724 just make sure you can identify them correctly. Don't go spreading bluebells

[@annaevans3202]

This was a perfect video in every possible way -- smart, informative, friendly, funny, beautifully shot & edited. Plus we get to see you -- Thank you, Brit!!

[@BotanywithBrit]

Thanks Anna! So glad you liked it!

[@Alexandra-ks7cb]

Just bought some bulbs AND seeds! So excited!

[@BotanywithBrit]

Yay! Let us know how things grow!

[@AnnoyingNewsletters]

Locally or did you find a good source online?

[@garrys248]

😂 thank you for the note you ended on 👌🏿

[@zwhirlwhorled7570]

You are lucky. I think its too cold where I am for it to grow. Just discovered your channel and liking it very much.

[@BotanywithBrit]

I'm glad you are enjoying!

[@zwhirlwhorled7570]

@@BotanywithBrit A good Botanist is as special as the plants you teach about.

[@PanHedonic]

Wonderful video....keep ‘em coming, Brit!

[@BotanywithBrit]

More to come!

[@revivifymusicproject5924]

Blue Camas, amazing! Very informative, thank you Brit!

[@BotanywithBrit]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cabinfever6286]

AWESOME JOB, BRIT!!!

[@BotanywithBrit]

Thank you!!

[@noracoolen2167]

Well done

[@waterhead001]

Lewis and Clark wrote that the Camus gave them "the wind so powerful' that they scarcely dared to breath."

[@AnnoyingNewsletters]

😆😅😂🤣💀⚰️🥀 That's a fitting way to win the favor of Matshishkapeu, the Old Fart Man, god of flatulence and 💩 if they'd continued up into Alaska.

[@ravennelson827]

I like the history you share with us. informative N entertaining

[@devinelgert4880]

Isn't it in the aspagarus family (Asparagaceae)?

[@BotanywithBrit]

Hi Devin - historically it has been classified in the lily family, but your question prompted us to do some research and apparently recent DNA and biochemical studies has led the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group to reclassify it in the asparagus family!

[@ravennelson827]

coming soon , how long is soon ??? B-waiting

[@BotanywithBrit]

We're planning our next video to premiere mid February!