Many years ago my friend and I took a new bend in the road on our weekly woodland walk and happened upon a gorgeous sight — a sea of Blue Camas lilies in full bloom in a Garry Oak meadow. Enamored by the display before us we exchanged our associations with the color blue. She snapped numerours pictures which inspired us to include Blue Camas meadows in our paintings for years to come. She also shared some history about the flowers we were admiring and the ecosystem they grow in.
Garry oak ecosystems
Today, less than 5% of the Garry oak ecosystems in Canada remain in a near-natural state. They are found on southeast Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and in two locations in the Fraser Valley. Only a very small percentage of Canadians are fortunate to live within the geographical range of Garry oak trees and I am pleased to be among them.
The dominant ecosystem of the southern Gulf Islands supports Douglas fir, Balsam fir and Western red cedar forests. Most of the islands’ forests have been logged in the past, with only pockets of old growth forest remaining. On the drier rocky ridges, there are open wildflower meadows and grassy hilltops, usually interspersed with Garry oak, arbutus and Douglas fir woodlands.
Camas lilies (Camassia quamash)
Wherever the Garry Oak is you will often find Camas lilies (Camassia quamash), and there is nothing more beautiful than the wild Camas lilies that grow in the Garry Oak woods. Camas grow in moist meadows; they are perennial plants with leaves measuring 8 to 32 inches (20–80 cm) in length, which emerge early in the spring. The common Camas lily has brilliant blue, star-shaped petals and viewing a meadow of them is bloom is a breathtaking sight. — Fields of Blue Camas
Camas Lilies as Food
Lily bulbs were an important food source for First Nations people. Many lily species were gathered for food but Camas bulbs, in particular, were a dietary staple for Coast Salish and other tribes, and were also an important trade item. Except for choice varieties of dried salmon, no other food item was more widely traded. More than two dozen different tribes prepared and cooked camas in at least fifteen ways.
There are three species of blue Camas and three species of white Camas. The latter is toxic and better known as death Camas as the bulbs are potentially fatal if eaten. Since blue and white Camas grow in exactly the same habitat, bulbs are harvested when the plant is flowering to avoid confusion and potential poisoning.
The edible bulb of a blue Camas lily resembles an onion but tastes like a potato to some and tastes like a pear to others. The bulbs become sweeter when cooked slowly in a traditional earth oven. The bulbs are rich in an indigestible carbohydrate, inulin, which is converted to usable fructose by cooking. The food value is high, and cooked material yields large amounts of sugar, approximately one-third of the dry weight of the bulbs. – Reviving a sweet tradition
Camas lily cultivation
The cultivation and tending of Camas meadows were as close to agriculture as westcoast Aboriginal people got. Prime Camas beds were the property of certain families and passed on through inheritance. Other fields were available for public harvest. Each season, the beds were weeded and cleared of stones and death-camas plants; brush was eliminated with a controlled annual burn. – Spring Lilies
Turf was lifted out systematically in small sections and then replaced after only larger bulbs had been removed. The bulbs were dug with a pointed digging stick. Bulbs were broken up and replanted. Annual controlled burning was used to maintain an open prairie-like habitat for optimum Camas production. Areas were harvested only every few years. — (PDF file) Common Camas – Camassia quamash
The Garry oak meadows of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are home to some incredibly productive Camas grounds. This unique Mediterranean-like climate is an ideal growing environment for Garry oak ecosystems — home to more plant species, such as the Camas lily, than any other terrestrial ecosystem in coastal B.C. and one of Canada’s most at-risk natural habitats. Less than five percent of Garry oak ecosystems remain in their natural state. — The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT)
Discussion
Unsurprisingly my favorite spring wildflower is Blue Camas. Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness. Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness. When the Camas is in bloom I think of my dear friend who has passed and all the wonderful memories we made together.
What’s is your favorite spring wildflower?
What is the color of your favorite spring wildflower associated with?
What does the color of your favorite spring wildflower represent to you?
Do you associate your favorite spring wild flower and its color with a person who is or was close to you?
Special mention for my Australian friend who has posted some lovely photos in a slide show on her blog. Personal achievements!
crystal
April 23, 2011
What a lovely post Timethief, beautifully written with charm, knowledge and love of nature.
My favourite spring flower is the daffodil. To me it has such a happy, smiling face and because it resembles a trumpet I call a group of them a fanfare of daffodils. Its colour for me represents freedom, bliss, warmth, generosity, triumph over adversity and an open heart.
timethief
April 24, 2011
Daffodils are lovely. Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Yellow daffodils are a symbol of unrequited love. Shades of golden yellow carry the promise of a positive future.
Did you know that the bulbs are extremely poisonous? Like the white death camas bulbs they are toxic and the only way to tell the difference between them and white camas and blue camas bulbs is when they are in bloom. We have now stopped planting them along the roadsides where I live as we aim to encourage wildflower growth. So now glorious displays of golden daffodils are found in our gardens where they trumpet optimism.
Team Oyeniyi
April 24, 2011
Thank you for the link and the visit, Timethief. I am jealous – you know all about yours. I’ve never been good at remembering the names of plants, all I can do is admire their beauty and their tenacity in continuing to thrive in the environment we continue to compromise.
I really like blue flowers (why I do not know, as I can not stand blue nail polish and the thought of a blue apple is quite disturbing). The pale blue just didn’t come out in one of the photos I took, which was disappointing, but they were not nearly as blue as these lilies.
I think my favourite of spring would have to be apple blossom or the wattle – I love when the trees all burst into colour (although my hayfever is not so keen!).
timethief
April 24, 2011
Hello there,
I find First Nations history to be fascinating and my friend was extremely well versed in it. She was like a walking encyclopedia and I never tired of hearing what she shared. I was feeling nostalgic and thinking of her when I decided to do the research and compose this piece. She possessed all of what the color dark blue represents and I miss her.
I don’t wear any nail polish. I apply baby oil and that’s it. Many of us cannot stand the smell of the nail salon, but never stop to ask why that is. In a word – toxins. It is reported that almost all brands of commercial nail polish contain toluene and formaldehyde. Many still contain Dibutyl Phthalate, although the European Union banned all pthalates from all of their cosmetics.
Apple blossoms are pink which is the color of warmth and love. Pink is also gentle healing color that can be used to relieve depression.
Like daffodils wattle in bloom is yellow and yellow is very much the colour of spring. Yellow also symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness and optimism. It’s said that people of high intellect favor yellow. ;)
Thanks for the visit. I enjoyed your slideshow.
I hope you have a terrific weekend. :)
Val Erde
April 24, 2011
What a beautiful flower, TT. I’ve not seen any before. Thank you for this lovely post.
:)
My favourite spring flower is the bluebell and I have memories of it from when I was a child. The ones that we have growing here are smaller and both the flowers and stems are quite weedy in comparison to the ones that grew in my parents’ garden – those were strong and sturdy. The flowers have a lovely scent, quite indescribable but very ‘fresh’. I love the colour and love touching them and even the sound of them when one pics them! The stems are hollow and make a sort of squeaky popping sound when picked! They don’t last long when picked and put in water, but they do a strange thing – first they wilt and bow down, and then gradually they lift their flower heads up towards the light and make a curious curve in their stems!
Here’s a link to info about them,
http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/bluebells.htm
though if you’re interested, have a look at google images instead, as there are better photos out there.
To me, this sort of bluey-lilac represents clarity, purity, calm on the blue part of it and stimulation and inspiration on the lilac part of it.
timethief
April 30, 2011
Hi Val,
It’s so good to connect with you. I had a hectic week and this blog is not on the top of my priority list. I feel bad about making those who commented wait so long for a reply as I do treasure every comment. However, I have been recovering and feeling very exhausted so I’ve been reading and not replying.
Thanks so much for sharing that your favorite spring flower is Bluebells. The way Bluebells bow their heads and then lift them again when picked and placed in water is fascinating.
I’m wondering if most of us chose our favorite flower when we were children and associate it with happy times when we were carefree. It does seem that way from the comments.
Sara
April 25, 2011
I never knew that Canadian peoples had a flower bulb that was a major export item in the old days. Thats the kind of thing I find totaly interesting. That festival looks so cool to be a part of.
My favorite spring flower is a violet. Im not sure if thats the real name, since the only violets I ever see for sale are the african type. My violet only grows wild along stream banks in dappled shady areas. Each delicate lilac and white flower grows on a single thin stem. But they grow in a cluster.
I dont know what the lilac shading to white then yellow colors mean. But when I see them I am transported to memeories of a time of carefree youth, exploring my local pond and forest habitats. So I always think the word.. peace. when I see them.
timethief
April 30, 2011
The history of Aboriginal people’s is fascinating. Well, at least I think it is, and if I ever have the time to research and stufy more of it I plan to.
I believe the flower you are describing could be a johnny jump-up. If it’s not then it could be a wood violet vut they do tend to bed shorter and closer to the gound. Check out images of both and see if you can spot it.
sara
April 30, 2011
ooh, I just checked and I think they are Johnny jump ups, although I have seen wild versions much more subtle and paler than those I just goggled. A lot of those pictures also say viola. Thats why I have trouble remembering their name. It sounds so much like violet.
I love lots of flowers that grow naturaly which most would call a weed. My second favorite is a ‘flower’ to me. Its called Jack in the pulpit. Its a splash of bright red in an otherwise green swamp. But its also a poisonos plant. I love its striking shape and unlikely place of growth. Its like a cheerfull friend.
and Jewelweed is really a bush full of bright orange pitchers that burst color in spring and summer. Thats another ‘weed.’ Someday Im gonna grow it as a plant if I can figure out how to find seeds.
ok thats 3 favorite flowers. I better stop here. Thanks for teaching me the name of Johnny jump ups.
timethief
April 30, 2011
I’m glad I guessed correctly. :) Johnny Jump-Ups are delicate and have precious little pansy faces. :)
I knew what Jack in the Pulpit looked like but Jewelweed didn’t ring a bell. I looked up Jewelweed and then I knew exactly what you meant as it grows here too. Not only is it a cure for poison ivy and other skin problems it’s a beautiful flower that attracts bumblebees and hummingbirds.
midaevalmaiden
April 25, 2011
I left you I really good comment this morning on this post. But its not here!! Where could it be? Ill be so bugged if its gone forever. I should have been next in line after Crystal and you.
timethief
April 30, 2011
@midaevalmaiden
I lloked for it immediately after I moderated this comment. I looked in my email too without sucess. I’m sorry to say it’s lost. :(
Jean
April 26, 2011
When I returned to Vancouver for a few days, I was reminded how floral and lush the area was compared to Albertan foothills and prairie.
Bleeding hearts flower is favourite of mine. There is a flowering tree common in Vancouver which I call the pink tulip tree with large pink blossoms ..or maybe it’s magnolia. I’m pretty sure it’s not a dogwood tree. I don’t know too many flowering trees and flowers by sight since I don’t garden.
Thankfully there is now a 2nd wave of cherry blossoms after the lst wave of blooms fell to the ground. I rhapsodize about this with of course some pics from our area:
http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/cycling-under-cherry-pink-flowering-bowers/
timethief
April 30, 2011
Did you know that Bleedinghearts were Native to northern China, Korea and Japan, introduced to English gardens in 1857, and then brought to North America? I looked that up. :) They symbolize elegance and are considered a symbol of undying love. That’s why they are frequently at weddings and special milestones like anniversaries or birthdays.
Jean
May 1, 2011
I had no idea about the bleeding hearts origins!
timethief
May 2, 2011
I wasn’t aware of it either until I did some research. :)
Jean
April 26, 2011
And very interesting, TiTi about the lily as edible. Great to have a friend who knows alot about plants in this way and the local lore on plants.
Meredith
April 26, 2011
Very beautiful TT. I love the Lilacs.. the small dainty flowers, the smell.. mmm. It reminds me of my childhood, a particular house and a particular time where things seemed easy.
timethief
April 29, 2011
Thanks Meredith. I love lilacs too and thet remind me of one of my grandmothers and the happy times I spent with her when I was a little girl. . She had a proliferation of white, lavendar, and deep purple lilac bushes under her windows so the scent filled the house when they were in bloom. Purple and lavender shades are associated with sacred place and space in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet colored flowers are often delicate and considered to be precious. Light purple evokes romantic feelings and nostalgic feelings and dark purple evokes nostalgia.
SprigBlossoms
April 26, 2011
Great post! I learned new things about this favorite spring flower of yours. It does sound that the cooked bulbs will be both nutritious as well as flavorful : )
I have a special crush for white flowers, esp the small starry ones. My favorite spring flowers will have to be dogwood, bloodroot, jasmine (tropical), lily of the valley. Additionally I cannot deny the allure of cherry blossoms – their soft pink delicacies : )
timethief
April 29, 2011
White flowers are beautiful and are defnitely associated with purity and perfection, openess, truth and kindness. They can also represent represent a successful beginning. Cherry blossoms represent beauty, and short life span and the color pink represents love. Thanks for your comment.
Janene Murphy
April 26, 2011
What a lovely flower! Like Crystal, I love daffodils, primarily because it’s the first flower to pop up in our backyard! Also, yellow is my favorite color. It’s so vibrant and cheerful — my own little piece of sunshine!
timethief
April 30, 2011
You are a sunshine personality you know and I like the way you beam.
KSyrah
April 26, 2011
Jasmine. Purity and renewal. And I associate it with the Philippines. The white one from the country of the place of my birth. :-)
timethief
April 29, 2011
Jasmine smells wonderful and comes in many colors. The most common is lavendar and evokes romantic feelings. White repesents purity and perfection, openess, truth and kindness.
Jasmine is also associated with attachment, sensuality, modesty, grace and elegance. Jasmine fragrance is associated with inner feelings and aspirations and is considered to be a mood enhancer and aphrodisiac. In aromatherapy its used to purify emotions. It’s also recoimmended and widely used for meditation and contemplation.
Arcticulates
April 26, 2011
What’s is your favorite spring wildflower?
Wild Sweet Pea
What is the color of your favorite spring wildflower associated with?
A beautiful bright Magenta
What does the color of your favorite spring wildflower represent to you?
It’s the first bright color, other then green after a long winter. And they smell amazing!
Do you associate your favorite spring wild flower and its color with a person who is or was close to you?
I associate it with getting ready to open my shop (I had an outdoor sale shop) repainting and repairing with my kids helping.. we always had fun!
timethief
April 30, 2011
Wild sweet peas have a lovely scent but their pods are poisonous so we are warned to keep kittens and puppies away from them. The color of blossoms varies but the shades are all vibrant and most are in the magenta range. Magenta is a color of universal harmony and emotional balance. It’s associated with compassion, acceptance, tolerance, support and patience.
Have a wonderful spring K and do keep in touch. :)
Tershbango
April 26, 2011
Love those colors – that bluish purple and purplish blue. Gorgeous! :)
timethief
April 30, 2011
They are such a good match for you too. I not surprised you like them. :) Purple is associated with high aspirations, royalty, and spirituality. It is also feminine and romantic and over 70% of all pre-adolescents love the color purple. Purple can be associated with transformation and wisdom and interscets with dark blue’s knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.
nothingprofound
April 26, 2011
I love the forsythia, to me their dazzling yellow leaves are the first true heralds of spring. There’s a park near my house that has dozens of bushes all aligned near each other. Walking through that park, I feel as if I’m walking on the sun.
timethief
April 30, 2011
I agree that forstythia heralds spring just as daffodils do. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the reason taxicabs are painted this color. Yellow is perceived as a very lighthearted and cheerful color. We most often associate yellow with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Thanks so much for sharing your favorite. Walking through an aisle of dozens of forsytia in bloom must be like walking on the sun. :)
PhotoDiction
April 26, 2011
What a lovely flower! My favorite spring flower is the simple crocus. I love how it heralds spring and often starts to show up on lawns just as the last of the snow is disappearing. Its color and resilience is inspiring. And most welcome after our Canadian winters.
timethief
April 30, 2011
Hi there Mario,
Native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Iran, (crocus) has long been cultivated for saffron in Iran, Kashmir and China. It was a sacred flower in ancient Crete. It is associated with the sun, and has been used to dye foods the color yellow as part of solar worship. The common crocus is dedicated to St. Valentine, the Christian martyr after whom Valentine’s Day was named. The general flower symbolism associated with the crocus is cheerfulness and gladness but now tends to mean romantic love due to the Valetine’s Day connection.
Thanks for contributing. :)
Eyewitness
April 27, 2011
TiTi, Your favorite flower is amazing, it looks as if I captured its photograph in a flower show but I don’t think these exist in our areas. Thanks for sharing its details. My favorite color is blue and it does not matter whether it’s sky or dark blue.
I love flowers so much but I am undecided about which one is my favorite. If at this moment I am attracted towards roses, in the next moment I might forget about it after seeing an unknown wildflower.
So, right now I might fall in love with Camas lilly, because of its attachment with our fellow blogger…… TiTi.
Thank you so much for inspiring us to recall our moments spend around nature.
Best Wishes
timethief
April 30, 2011
@eyewitness
Thank you so much for the visit and your comment too. Blue is they favorite color of many people. I enjoy viewing your flowers in your blog. Like you I love them all flowers, that is. Nature simply cannot be outdone when it comes to breathtaking beauty of all kinds. I’m so glad you like the Camas lily images. :)
Eyewitness
May 3, 2011
You’re so welcome.
And I feel honored that you visited my blog and loved what I captured and shared. It seems that your area is full of nature and greenery.
Nowadays, I am in S.Arabia for my job in technical filed and hope when I go back to Pak, Kashmir, my homeland I will capture hundreds of nature photos to give live to my voiceofnature blog.
Thanks once more.
timethief
May 3, 2011
@eyewitness,
Yes Ivn, I live in a location that’s naturally beautiful and when seen clearly with true vision all natural spots are beautiful. Best wishes with your job. I’m sure your are looking foward to returning to your homeland to drink in her beauty and allow the peace that surpasses all differences to fill you, make you wise, and deepen your compassion.
I will be delighted to see the nature photographs you post to your blog when you return from Kashmir. Unlike most North Americans I choose to live a simple life. I do not own a camera or a cell phone or much of anything else that’s not a neccessity. This is by choice and my Beloved and I are happy together and in this place.
K Fields
April 27, 2011
I love blue flowers of any kind. They are a rare treat amidst yellow, pinks, lavenders, and white wild flowers. The Fireweed flower/weed which ranges from light to dark pink, grows wild here, ans seeing the fields of blue flowers on these photos reminds me of the Fireweed which also fill fields.
My favorite tho is the wild sweet pea, it’s the first brightly colored wild flower of the spring season, even before the yellow dandelions, I love the color Magenta and the wonderful smell of them. I always look forward to seeing them each spring. They should be coming up pretty soon here.
timethief
May 1, 2011
Aha … another blue flower lover. Fireweed is common here too and so vibrant. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) continues to treat dandelion as a weed. Herbalists think differently — shrug. They are a happy color. They are edible and they are nutritious. I’m sure they will be popping up soon as they are tenacious. :)
wellcraftedtoo
April 29, 2011
Lovely shots of a lovely wild flower…It is considered a native here, in parts of Illinois, but not commonly found much anymore (no surprise there!).
One can see Camassia growing in some of the woodlands of the Chicago Botanic Gardens. And my husband and I, woodland plant lovers, have a hybridized version (white) growing in our home garden.
Thanks, TimeThief for the post. You and I have exchanged in the past info on blogging tips via WordPress.com
timethief
May 1, 2011
Hello there,
I’m sorry I took so long to answer. Too bad wild cammas is not found much anymore where you live. I wonder if your white version isn’t actually a death camas. They do grow togther and the bulbs are identical in appearance.
lifewith4cats
April 30, 2011
you sure know a lot about flower culture and history. Do you also study edible wild food? I used to long time ago. Study them for edible and medicinal purposes. People used to make fun of me for it by calling me a whitch.
Theres a plant called Pokeweed. It starts out with bright flourescent green berries which turn to magenta when mature. The Native Americans used it to to dye things red and it was an early cloth dye. Ive made lemon-aid from Staghorn sumac tree, the early settlers used to do this also.
timethief
May 2, 2011
I don’t really know a lot. I do have friends who are well versed in the uses of wild plants as foods and medicines and I have learned a little from them. One was my friend who I referred to in my introduction to this post. She was like a walking encyclopedia full of wild plant knowledge. She was the kind of person who probably knew what you have shared about pokeweed and sumac. She also was a spinner and weaver who used natural dyes on her projects. I miss her a lot.
jayme
May 2, 2011
Hi TT,
Those are beautiful, I like all sorts of flowers. -One that especially reminds me of my childhood was Fairy Trumpets. They grew wild near our house and along our street, I remember the huge bumblebees that were always buzzing around them, and how great they smelled.
timethief
May 3, 2011
Hi Jayme,
As I had never heard of fairy Trumpets I looked them up on the internet. They are also known as Skyrocket, Desert Trumpets, Scarlet Gilia, or Skunk Flower. They are brilliantly colored and if bumble bees love them that’s great because we need to feed our natural pollinators and wildflowers do that best. As you know the imported European bees we have are experiencing colony collapse. What’s happening where I live is people are brining back the solitary mason bees that are native to this area. Thanks for your visit and for sharing your favorite spring wildflower. :)
jay.me
May 5, 2011
hi TT, That’s what we called them as kids, but not the proper name I see. They had a lovely fragrance, nothing at all like a skunk, lol! I looked them up, they are called honeysuckle, woodbine or trumpet honeysuckle. There was a pretty white variety that grew here.
–So true about the bees, I hope they can make a comeback. A serious problem for us all if not.
–You’re welcome, my pleasure! :)
timethief
May 6, 2011
I hope they make a come back too. Where I live we are attempting to encourage the wildflowers, shrubs and tress to grow on our properties and in hedgerows (ditches). They are the preferred food for the Mason bees which are the native bees here and as many are medicinal plants. So we are seeding ditches, parks and our properties with wildflowers. Thanks for your comments. :)