VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Zigadenus venenosus | Deathcamas 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
The seeds, bulbs, leaves, and stems of deathcamas are poisonous to
livestock and wildlife, ranking in danger in the order listed [4,17].
Plants remain poisonous when dry [16,17].  Grassy deathcamas is the
more toxic of the two varieties [3].  This species is the most poisonous
within the death camasgenus, which is noted for the production of toxic
alkaloids [13].  Two pounds (0.9 kg) green weight of deathcamas per 100
pounds (45 kg) of animal weight is fatal.  Sheep are most frequently
poisoned because of their tendency to select forbs while grazing.  Fatal
poisonings are most common in lambs [16,17].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of deathcamas is poor for all classes of livestock and
wildlife [4].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Deathcamas is rated as poor in energy and protein values [4].


COVER VALUE : 
The cover value of deathcamas in Utah is poor for upland game birds,
waterfowl, small nongame birds, and small mammals [4].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The Blackfeet Indians made a poultice from crushed deathcamas bulbs for
treating bruises and sprains [13].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Range:  Livestock losses can be reduced by following good management
practices:  (1) Keep animals off ranges infested with death camus until
adequate forage is available.  Deathcamas appears early in the spring,
when leaves are highly toxic and there is little other forage.  (2) Give
animals supplemental feed when necessary.  Well-fed animals will usually
graze an infested range without injesting deathcamas.  (3) Improve
range conditions by seeding with desirable grasses [16].

Deathcamas increases with overgrazing [12].

Control:  Plants may be pulled from wet ground when small areas are
infested.  If the ground is dry, the plant will break off at the stem,
leaving the bulb to eventually develop new leaves.  Larger areas can be
90 percent controlled by using a 3-pound acid equivalent of 2,4-D ester
per acre (3.4 kg/ha) in early spring, when the plant is in the three- to
six-leaf stage.  Chemical control is not effective after plants have
flowered [16,17,21].

Other:  Humans have been poisoned by injestion of deathcamas bulbs
after mistaking them for edible wild onion (Allium spp.), Mariposa lily
(Calochortus spp.), or wild hyacinth (Brodiaea spp.) bulbs [17].

Related categories for Species: Zigadenus venenosus | Deathcamas