Description
A vigorous hybrid Fritillaria, each plant bearing strong and healthy, broad green foliage on short stems crowned with one or twinned, good-sized flaring bells of reddish-brown, with the centre of each, chequered, petal toning to green. The exterior is dusted with a grape-like “bloom”. In quantity it makes a stunning show for a plant with relatively sombre colouring.
It was raised as a chance seedling, dating back to 2001, by Don Peace. Don advises us that the true parentage is unknown. He grew it from seed and it was then planted it as a clump (along with its sister seedlings) into an outside trough. After a few years it was the sole survivor in that part of the trough and the only nearby label suggested Fritillaria crassifolia kurdica. Having dug it out and potted it for the show bench it was thus initially exhibited it as a Frit crassifolia kurdica hybrid but he is not convinced that there is any kurdica influence in it at all. Apart from glaring morphological differences, this plant is a prolific ‘rice maker’ whilst, in his experience, and mine too, F. kurdica produces very little (if any) rice.
It won lots of prizes over the seven or eight years it has been exhibited (under a variety of labels) until Don finally gave in and gave it a name. The awards have continued since. The name?, well ‘Lentune’ is the name of his village as recorded in the Doomsday book. The ‘Slate’ bit comes from the slate coloured ‘bloom’ on the outside of the flowers.
Introduced to our lists July 2017.
AM (RHS) 2022
