Daily Botanical: Unidentified Allium
I came upon this flower on a walk yesterday afternoon. It looks like some kind of allium but as you probably know there are one of two or gazillions of allium species out there. I searched high and low but have been unable to identify it. It carries some interesting features worth noting: the flowers grow upwards with a spiked or columnar shape (most of the garden variety alliums are globed) and the stems are very dark, almost black.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:21 am
I can’t help with the ID, but it’s a very pretty flower. :)
May 21st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
It looks like a Camassia…
May 21st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Thank you! I think you are right. Not an allium at all.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Very pretty. I love the slight purple outline on the petals. Very very interesting with the dark stems and the buds with the yellow bits on them. Of course great shot too.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:02 pm
The flower is a Camassia, which is in the lily family. Camas (common name) is a Pacific Northwest native and prefers wetland areas. The flowers are typically bluish/purple, but, some rare species of white ones reside in the lower Willamette Valley in Oregon. The bulb of Camas was a staple food many moons ago, but, there is also a creme colored species called “death Camas” which is highly toxic.