Camassia leichtlinii 'Semi-Plena' produces spikes of creamy white flowers on spikes up to 36 inches tall in late spring and early summer. Each spike can carry between 20 and 80 flowers. It is one of the few North American native bulbs that are widely available for gardeners to plant that thrive in moist to wet soils. Free of most insect and disease pests, it will flower well in full sun or partially shaded conditions. The flowers are showy but not long-lasting, and foliage goes dormant during late summer. The genus name Camassia is derived from a Native American name for this group of plants, "quamash." All five species in this genus can be found in North America, and many of them were used as a food source by Native Americans and early European immigrants. However, unless the bulbs are prepared according to a narrow set of guidelines, their flavor is at best tolerable.