Native Plants
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Zigadenus elegans
Zigadenus elegans Pursh
Mountain Death Camas, White Camas
Liliaceae (Lily Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: ziel2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)
A plant with long, basal, grass-like leaves and cream or greenish-white, bowl-shaped flowers in a raceme or branched flower cluster.
The highly poisonous Meadow Deathcamas (Z. venenosus) grows throughout most of the western United States. It has petal-like segments about 1/4" (6 mm) long, the inner 3 slightly longer and with a short stalk at the base, and stamens about as long as the segments.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 32 inches tall.
Fruit: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Yellow , Green , BrownBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: AK , AZ , CO , IA , ID , IL , IN , MI , MN , MO , MT , NC , ND , NE , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WYCanada: MB , NB , ON , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Western Canada; south to western Washington, eastern Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Native Habitat: Mountain meadows, rocky slopes, and forests.
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part Shade , ShadeSoil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Sandy
Benefit
Warning: All parts of this wildflower contain toxic chemicals (alkaloids) said to be more potent than strychnine. Just two bulbs can be fatal. Symptoms include salivating, vomiting, diarrhea, lowered body temperature and a slow heartbeat. (Kershaw)Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Bibliography
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, SallySearch More Titles in Bibliography
Additional resources
USDA: Find Zigadenus elegans in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Zigadenus elegans in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Zigadenus elegans
Metadata
Record Modified: 2021-01-28Research By: TWC Staff