Toxicoscordion fremontii

Common Names

Death Camas, Star Lily, Fremont's Star Lily, Fremont's Death Camas

Summary

Fremont's star lily, a bulb-forming perennial herb native to California and western North America, is a bulbous geophyte with linear basal leaves and stems about 2 ft tall, bearing a branched spike of white to cream star-shaped flowers. Each flower is 1–4 cm across with six parts (three petals and three similar sepals) and a green center, and bulbs measure 20–35 mm in diameter. Blooms occur March–June on grassy or woody slopes and rocky outcrops in lower-lying regions of California, SW Oregon, and northern Baja California.

Prefers full sun to mostly sun in well-drained soils with dry summers and requires minimal irrigation, with water sparingly and soil allowed to dry between waterings; propagation mainly by bulb division during dormancy; hardy in USDA zones 5a–10b; deer resistant and attractive to bees and butterflies; all parts are poisonous.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-3 feet

Spread

5-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5a-10b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.5

Bloom Color

White to cream-colored

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green, Light-green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

6-8 months

Seasons of Interest

Spring

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees