Description
In a few parts of Oregon and California, the ranges of Fritillaria recurva and Fritillaria micrantha overlap and in a few places the two species have hybridised forming stable populations. These have persisted mainly through the actions of wild animals which disturb and eat the larger bulbs, scattering the smaller bulblets and propagating the plants vegetatively, however the ancient crosses are fertile and have interbred such that they are stable and relatively constant.
F. eastwoodiae makes tall, slender plants with whorls of foliage up the stem and very attractive jade green and orange bells in May.
Likes a well drained yet humus-rich soil with a dry period over the summer. A layer of fine (aquarium) gravel at planting depth, will aid the recovery of bulblets at repotting time.
We will probably only ever be able to spare a few bulbs each season, propagated from a collection that I made with the late Wayne Roderick over 30 years ago. It was identified then as F. phaeanthera but it appears to be now called F. eastwoodiae, as there is more than one contender for the name phaeanthera.
