Description
This splendid new introduction from China, originally came to us as “albidoflora” (which is a different plant entirely).
Fritillaria tortifolia has bold 50 cm stems topped with large goblet-shaped flowers of white, heavily flecked inside with blood-red which can, in some plants, become a confluent red patch in the throat. It is one of the largest flowered of all of the species, resembling in a way a white version of pallidiflora. In fact it is even more vigorous and more suited to garden use, than that splendid species. I suspect that any suggestion of F. tortifolia being difficult reflects on a lack of understanding of its needs – it does not like conditions whcih are hot and dry (especially in summer) it likes a moist, humus-rich soil with a minimal summer rest.
Has done very well here outside, unprotected, in ordinary garden soil with no special treatments and the largest plants bear up to 6 flowers as testimony to its ease-of-growth. It should be noted that, if stored damp or left in the garden, (and even if not, eventually)then it starts into root early in the season in the manner of F. pallidiflora.
