Fritillaria

The genus Fritillaria is spread across the entire northern hemisphere and we offer a superb range of species from Europe, Middle East, Asia and western USA. Fritillaria occupy many habitats from wet meadows to high mountain screes and light woodland. Remarkably they almost all accept a similar regime in cultivation. Cultivation is best in pots or a bulb frame, in a loam or soil-based compost. They do not do well in the long term, in peat-based composts.

Plant in September-October, water gently and allow them very gentle moisture, to make roots, until growth emerges from February to April, depending on climate and species. Feed during growth and then gradually dry them off and cease feeding as the leaves yellow and the bulbs die back.

Keep them dry over summer and repeat the cycle again in autumn, remembering that they do not have bulb coats and thus they are easily over-dried in summer. A hot, dry “bake” is not what they need or like, regardless of what their wild habitat might seem to imply.

Available for ordering from our Autumn list only.