Species PlantsMountain Death Camas

Mountain Death Camas

Anticlea elegans

UncommonPlant
Illustration of Mountain Death Camas (Anticlea elegans)
Safety note: All parts are highly toxic, especially the bulb; can be fatal if ingested. Can be confused with edible camas bulbs.

Mountain Death Camas is a bulb-forming wildflower of mountain meadows and rocky slopes, with grass-like leaves and cream-colored flowers. All parts are poisonous to humans and livestock, containing alkaloids that cause cardiac and neurological effects. It can be confused with edible camas, making proper identification essential in the field.

Habitat
Mountain meadows, rocky slopes, and sagebrush steppe of western North America
Diet
Flowers visited by native bees; bulbs not eaten by most mammals due to toxicity
How common
Uncommon

Best time to see a Mountain Death Camas

The best time to see a Mountain Death Camas is July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 4,761 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Not certain it is a Mountain Death Camas? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

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