Leichtlin's Camas

How to grow Leichtlin's Camas

Written by Steve Davis · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant bulbs in autumn about 10–15 cm deep and 15 cm apart. Unusually for a bulb it does not need sharp drainage and grows well in the damp clay that would rot tulips, which makes it one of the better bulbs for naturalising in a meadow or a heavy border.

Pruning

Leave the foliage to die back before cutting or mowing — in grass, delay the first cut until at least six weeks after flowering. Seed heads can be left to ripen if you want it to spread.

Propagation

Lift and separate offsets when dormant in late summer. It also self-sows in grass, though seedlings take several years to flower.

Pests and diseases

Generally trouble-free. Slugs may take emerging shoots in a wet spring.

Value to wildlife

The spires of starry flowers are well used by bees in late spring, filling the gap between the spring bulbs and the main summer flowering.

Notes

It dislikes being lifted and dried out repeatedly, so plant it where it can stay. The clump builds slowly and is worth the wait; the foliage is bulky and needs a companion to grow through it as it fades.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Camassia leichtlinii but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Camassia