Plant Data Sheet
Species Zigadenus venenosus
Range
Deathcamas is distributed in
Climate, elevation
Death camas grows at low to mid elevations.
Local occurrence (where, how
common)
On the coast, it coincides closely with the occurrence of Camasia quamash.
Habitat preferences
Open forests and forest edged, damp meadows, and rocky or grassy slopes.
Plant strategy type/successional stage (stress-tolerator,
competitor, weedy/colonizer, seral, late successional)
Death camas is an increaser with grazing.
Associated species
Camasia
quamash (camas), dwarf rose (Rosa gymnocarpa) and cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.)
Other common names include:
grassy deathcamas
meadow grasscamas
alkali grass
deadly zygadene
hog potatoes
lobelia
mystery-grass
poison-sego
soap plant
squirrel food
May be collected as:
Seeds ripen in July and August and are dispersed by
mid-August. Seeds germinate in the spring and a bulb is formed in the first
year. Death camas reproduces vegetatively from bulb
fragments and sexually with sexual maturity taking up to 3 years.
Collection restrictions or
guidelines
This plant is toxic
in all forms and caution must be taken when handling plant material.
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?)
Needs six weeks of cool stratification
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
2 to 6 months.
Recommended seed storage
conditions
Paper bag at room temperature.
Propagation recommendations
(plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Seeds and/or bulbs.
Soil or
medium requirements (inoculum necessary?)
None recommended.
Installation form (form,
potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Recommended planting density
None specified.
Care requirements after
installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan
Death camas grows rapidly in early spring from root reserves when temperatures are cool and soils are moist.
Sources cited
Drake Deanne, Kern
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/grass/carexros.html
greenwoodnursery.com
Pojar, Jim and Andrew MacKinnon. 1994. Plants of the
Data compiled by (student
name and date)
Lara Johnson