Bloomipedia
Meadow deathcamas (Toxicoscordion venenosum)
Photo: James H. Thomas via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Meadow deathcamas

Toxicoscordion venenosum

Meadow deathcamas (Toxicoscordion venenosum) is a flowering plant in the Melanthiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to Montana

Meadow deathcamas is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

6states where USDA records it
655MT sightings*
3,011U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Montana

Quick look

Toxicoscordion venenosum, with the common names death camas and meadow death camas, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae. It grows up to 70 centimetres tall. Both its common names and its scientific name reference its toxic qualities.

  • It belongs to the Melanthiaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Montana. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 655 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #64 among the 128 flowers on our Montana list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Montana (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (34 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Montana
No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Montana.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records meadow deathcamas in 6 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 114 counties across 6 states; the most are in California (36), Oregon (26), Washington (18).

Other Toxicoscordion on Bloomipedia (1): Fremont's death camas.

More from the Melanthiaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Pacific trillium, Large white trillium, Red trillium, Painted trillium, Green false hellebore, Prairie trillium, Corn lily, Toadshade.

More Montana flowers

Common beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax)

Common beargrass

Xerophyllum tenax

Native

🌼 Blooms in MT: June–July
Green false hellebore (Veratrum viride)

Green false hellebore

Veratrum viride

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in MT
Pacific trillium (Trillium ovatum)

Pacific trillium

Trillium ovatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in MT: April–June

Sources