Wild Hyacinth
Camassia leichtlinii
Tall spikes of star-shaped blue to creamy white flowers in May, from a bulb that thrives in wet spots and returns reliably every year.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
One of the only native bulbs that thrives in wet spring conditions. dramatic blue spikes in May when rain gardens are at their wettest.
Wild Hyacinth rises in May with tall spikes of star-shaped blue to creamy white flowers that catch every passing native bee. The flowers are delicate and lavender-blue in color, massing beautifully when planted in large drifts and creating a meadow-like effect in May and early June. Like all camassia, the plant grows from a bulb, dies back by midsummer, and reliably reappears year after year without any attention. It's one of the few native bulbs that actually thrives in wet conditions. Plant it at the edge of a rain garden, in seasonally wet meadows, or in low spots where spring standing water excludes most other plants. The foliage fades gracefully. Camassia bulbs were a critical food source for Indigenous peoples throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Great Camas Meadows of Idaho were among the most prized landscapes on the continent.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown wild hyacinth propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–4 ft · 6–12 in wide
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Bloom color
- Purple, Blue
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native range
- Western North America, from British Columbia south to California; naturalized in eastern gardens
Care notes for wild hyacinth.
Plant bulbs 4-6 inches deep in fall. Prefers moist to wet soil in spring; tolerates summer drought when dormant. Full sun to part shade. Allow foliage to die back naturally. Naturalizes readily into large clumps over time. No division needed unless clumps become overcrowded after many years.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside wild hyacinth.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.