Fritillaria (I)

Fritillarias many years ago had the reputation of being difficult to keep. While some are certainly challanging, that opinion could derive from the practise of "baking" bulbs, ie giving them a very dry, hot rest in the greenhouse. If you look at the "bulb" of a Fritillaria you will see that it is naked, and white, and so they easily dry out and die if given this treatment. A number of Fritillarias can be grown outside, probably the best one is F. meleagris, which has intriguingly checkered purple or white flowers. Another criticism levelled at the genus is that they are "dull greeny brown things". Some are, some are not. Fritillaria kurdica (left)  is one of the "greeny brown things", but I find it subtle and charming.

Most of the Fritillarias are quite variable, and this is a point worth noting if you are buying them for the first time. Fritillaria carica is typically greenish yellow, but the first plant I bought (right) was brown and yellow.

Plants may also vary in height, and certainly in habit and vigour. The "brown" carica  plant on the right has been with me for about 7 years and never increased, in contrast to the one on the left. But then again it may have been that shallow planting of the yellow form may have caused the bulb to split.

Many Fritillarias come easily from seed, and flower in about four years. This one on the left is F.ehrhartii which has garnet flowers with a grey, grape like bloom on it. It seems to be quite easy and vigorous in a pot.

Fritillaria crassifolia is another very variable but easy species. I have dark brownish green forms , but selected this lime green form at one of the Royal Horticultural Society's shows in London many years ago.