Flower profile
Meadow deathcamas
Toxicoscordion venenosum
Meadow deathcamas is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Montana it's most often seen in bloom in May–June.
*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
- In Montana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 655 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #64 among the 109 flowers on our Montana list. iNaturalist
Meadow deathcamas gift ideas
Handmade meadow deathcamas gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Meadow deathcamas art print
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Meadow deathcamas greeting card
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Meadow deathcamas mug
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Meadow deathcamas earrings
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Meadow deathcamas embroidery pattern
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Meadow deathcamas sticker
When does it bloom?
In Montana, most flowering sightings come in May–June.
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?
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.
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.
More Montana flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ZIVEV.
- iNaturalist, Toxicoscordion venenosum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Toxicoscordion venenosum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Toxicoscordion venenosum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: James H. Thomas via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.