Fritillaria spp.
Perennial bulbs hailing from temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, the Fritillaria genus contains about 130 species of spring-blooming wildflowers that produce gorgeous, bell-shaped flowers.
Commonly known as fritillaries, there’s a tremendous amount of diversity within the genus, but generally speaking, they produce solitary, pendant flowers and scaled bulbs.
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Belonging to the Liliaceae family, Fritillaria species have some similarities to true lilies: both have flower parts in groups of three and longish, linear, strap-shaped leaves.
Thriving in a range of different habitats, some Fritillaria species are suited to dry meadows, others to areas with consistently moist soils.
Read on to find out more about growing these beautiful spring bulbs. Here’s what we’ll cover:
What You’ll Learn
Although these spring bulbs do not feature prominently in horticulture, species in the Fritillaria genus have a long, and varied history.
A fascinating find for the earliest botanists traipsing through meadows in Europe and the rocky slopes of the Middle East, fritillarias have been used and cultivated for over 500 years.
Purportedly, fritillaria flowers were already in cultivation in England’s royal gardens in the 1600s.
Depending on the species they may be diminutive, six-inch ground covers or four-foot-tall, imposing specimens.
The flower colors vary from white to purples, oranges, and yellows – many featuring patterns on the petals.
Quick Look
Common name(s): Fritillary, fritillaria
Plant type: Perennial flowering bulb
Hardiness (USDA Zone): 4-9
Native to: Temperate Northern Hemisphere
Bloom time / season: Spring
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Soil type: Organically-rich loam, well draining
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0, slightly acidic to neutral
Water Needs: Moderate
Mature size: 2-12 inches wide x 6-48 inches high (depending on species)
Best uses: Beds, borders, meadows, containers
Taxonomy
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Fritillaria
Species: Affinis, delavayi, imperialis, meleagris, pallidiflora, persica, pudica, uva-vulpis
Generally hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8, fritillarias are native to temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, from the Mediterranean to the Middle East, as well as North America and parts of Asia.
In North America, the bulbs, dried or raw, were eaten by native people. Lewis and Clark collected the yellow fritillary, F. pudica on their expedition in 1806.
In China, some Fritillaria species are utilized for their medicinal purposes, particularly as cough suppressants.
Nowadays, many species of Fritillaria are threatened, or facing extinction, as a result of overharvesting in the wild and habitat destruction.
In Iran the annual blooming of the imperial fritillary (F. imperialis) draws tourists from miles around.
Unfortunately, visitors to this display pick the flowers and dig the bulbs, and have drastically reduced the wild population numbers.
In China, some Fritillaria species, like F. delavayi actually appear to be evolving camouflage in response to the overharvesting of their bulbs for traditional medicine.
Growing flowers in our own garden can be a vital act of conservation. If you live in an area with native fritillarias, see if you can grow those species in your landscape.
Natives are ecologically important and are often the most resilient plants in the garden when it comes to pests, diseases, and climate resiliency.
As with many spring bulbs, fritillarias are a pretty unfussy bunch.
Take time to choose an appropriate planting location, make sure they receive adequate light and water, and Mother Nature should do the rest.
How to Grow
The varied species within the Fritillaria genus have many garden uses.
So accustomed are we to the trumpets of daffodils and upturned cups of tulips, the delicate, pendant bells of fritillaries are a delightful sea change in the spring flower-scape.
Many of these bulbs come from wildflower meadow habitat and some are excellent naturalizers.
Try planting some of the smaller Fritillaria species out in a moist, grassy field that you don’t need to mow often.
Snake’s head fritillary (F. meleagris) is an excellent choice for out of the way, unkempt areas that could do with a bit of color.
Plant larger species in beds and borders, en masse. Use Siberian fritillaria (F. pallidiflora) instead of grape hyacinth in your potted, spring display.
The fritillarias, by and large, are very low maintenance. Hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9, they can withstand all but the coldest of weather and are relatively pest free.
Light
Generally it’s best to situate fritillaria plants in full sun, but they will tolerate a bit of partial, dappled shade.
Soil
Fritillaria bulbs typically prefer rich loamy soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 that are neither soggy nor dry, but research the specific needs of your chosen species.
Plant in freely draining, rich soils, filling planting holes with compost or grit, if you need to improve drainage.
If you aren’t sure your soil is organically-rich, it never hurts to throw in a few shovelfuls of compost when you plant.
Water
These bulbs are pretty tough when established, but for best results, water well during dry periods, or when the soil is dry to an inch down.
Ideally keep the soil evenly moist, with the texture of a well-wrung-out sponge.
Avoid growing fritillarias in areas that tend to be boggy, or the bulbs will rot.
Fertilizing
To keep your fritillaries well fed, especially the larger species, which are more demanding than the smaller ones, fertilize them each spring before they flower.
A good all-purpose fertilizer formulated for vegetables will do the trick, like Down to Earth’s All-Purpose Mix, with an NPK ratio of 4-6-2.
You can find Down to Earth All-Purpose Mix available at Arbico Organics.
Fall is the perfect time to divide mature Fritillaria plants, though you won’t have to do this often. Every few years is more than adequate.
You can read more about dividing in the Propagation section below.
Species to Select
As mentioned, there is an abundance of diversity within the beautiful Fritillaria genus. Below are just a few of the species I love best:
Affinis
The chocolate or checker lily, F. affinis, is a North American native. This delightful little plant produces brownish-purple flowers mottled with greenish, brownish, and purple spots.
The flowers may be single or borne in clusters on stems up to 48 inches tall.
Hardy in Zones 7 to 9, these plants grow wild in sites with very well draining soils across western North America.
Imperialis
Remarkable for its size, F. imperialis or crown imperial fritillary, is one of most recognizable species in the genus.
Producing a ring of bright orange, bell-shaped flowers reminiscent of lilies, this is an excellent choice for a flower border or pot.
This species is native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and the Himalayan foothills and prefers full sun and freely draining loam, thriving in organically-rich garden soil.
Growing up to four feet tall, crown imperial fritillary is hardy in Zones 5 to 9.
Bulbs are available at Eden Brothers.
Meleagris
F. meleagris, or snake’s head fritillary, guinea hen flower, or checkered lily, is native to the wet meadows of Europe.
If you have consistently moist soils in an open location and are looking for an excellent naturalizer, this is the species for you.
Growing up to 12 inches in height, this diminutive, little wildflower has an exquisite checkerboard pattern across its petals and is hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
Persica
F. persica, or Persian fritillary, is my personal favorite. This species loves hot, sunny conditions.
The really unique thing about this Middle Eastern native is its gray-green leaves, which are densely packed along a three-foot-tall stem.
The dozens of little black-purple bells arranged at the top of the stem are just the icing on the cake. This species is hardy in Zones 5 to 9.
You can find bulbs available at Eden Brothers.
Uva-Vulpis
The fox’s grape fritillary, F. uva-vulpis, hails from Turkey and Iran and blooms a little later in spring than some of its cousins.
The gorgeous chocolatey-purple petals conceal a rusty-orange interior. Growing to about two feet high, this species is hardy in Zones 7 to 9.
Propagation
There are a few ways to get fritillarias started in your garden at home, some more challenging than others.
From Bulbs
The easiest and quickest way to grow these gorgeous spring flowers is to plant bulbs in the fall, when they are dormant.
Plant them in rich, freely draining soil with plenty of space between each bulb. Allow three to 10 inches of space depending on the species you are planting.
The larger species, like the crown imperial fritillary (F. imperialis), should be planted eight inches deep and spaced eight inches apart or more.
For smaller species, such as Siberian fritillary (F. pallidiflora), plant four inches deep and four to five inches apart.
Although the species differ in their desire for moisture, it’s a good rule of thumb to plant these bulbs in a location with freely draining soil so they are never sitting in soggy ground.
Generally, these bulbs love organically-rich loam, so if your soil is on the sandy side, throw in a good few spadefuls of compost prior to planting.
Conversely, if your soil tends to become quite wet, plant a species that hails from that kind of habitat, like the snake’s head fritillary (F. meleagris), or add several inches of grit at the bottom of your planting holes.
Some of the larger fritillarias have a central hole in their bulb. Plant these bulbs on their sides so the hole doesn’t fill up with water and cause rot.
Bulbs planted in the fall will emerge and bloom in the spring.
Make sure you do not mow these spring beauties until after they have set seed and gone dormant. This is usually in mid to late summer.
From Seed
Although it’s possible to grow fritillarias from seed, this is a horticultural quest of epic proportions.
On average, these plants take four to seven years to grow from teensy seed to lovely, vernal bloomer. If you accept this mission, read on.
- Seed can be purchased online or harvested in the summer after the plants have finished blooming.
- Prepare several four-inch pots filled with sterile potting medium mixed with a couple of handfuls of grit to help with drainage.
- Sow one to two seeds on the surface of the substrate and cover with a fine layer of grit. This grit helps to prevent the seeds becoming airborne.
- Fritillaria seed needs a period of cold stratification to promote germination. The easiest way to do this is to keep your pots in a sheltered location outside. Temperatures need to dip down to at least 40°F for proper stratification.
- The seeds should germinate in spring, when mild temperatures return.
The tiny plants are exceptionally fragile while young so it’s best to leave them in their pots for a couple of years, making sure to situate them somewhere they will receive plenty of sunshine.
Feed once a month with a diluted, balanced fertilizer and keep the soil evenly moist, but not soaking wet.
Dividing Bulbs
The term “divisions” is a little misleading in this context, but this is the general term for digging up a mature plant, removing a portion of it, and replanting these sections elsewhere to grow more plants.
In the case of fritillarias, what you’ll be collecting and replanting are called bulbils, and they’re essentially baby bulbs.
Gently pry up clumps of fritillaries in the fall after the foliage has died back. Clustered around the large, mature bulbs you may find one or more smaller bulbs.
Pluck these off and plant them in new spots, and be sure to replant the parent bulbs too.
Managing Pests and Disease
Lucky for us gardeners, the fritillaries are incredibly robust plants. When it comes to pests and diseases, almost nothing bothers these tough bulbs.
Herbivores
The foliage is endowed with a suite of bitter compounds which make them downright disgusting to herbivores.
There are a handful of species native to the northwestern United States which bear reportedly dig up to consume the bulbs. These uncultivated species are not common in horticulture.
Insects
When it comes to creepy crawlies, there is one main insect to watch out for, but on the whole nothing will really bother your plants.
Scarlet Lily Beetle
Arch nemesis of the lily family, the scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) is insect villain number one for the fritillarias.
Thought to have hitchhiked to the new world on European exports of lily bulbs, these bright red, rectangular beetles feed on many of the plants in the lily family.
Fortunately, the scarlet colored beetles are large, up to half an inch long, and easy to see.
They have a black head and legs and are very conspicuous when feeding on dark green leaves.
Their bright orange eggs are laid on the underside of leaves in early summer and produce dark, grey larvae.
The larvae cover themselves in excrement as they feed and look like goopy, squishy blobs.
Look for nibbling on the leaves of your plants beginning in early summer. If you find these signs, begin a daily check for beetles.
Sweep all beetles and larvae into a cup of soapy water to drown them.
These insects overwinter in the top layer of the soil, so in fall, scrape the soil around your bulbs.
Keep turning over the top couple of inches to expose any hibernating bugs to freezing weather. You can also spread diatomaceous earth or wood ash, too.
Disease
Most of the diseases affecting this wonderful group of spring bloomers are not serious. Here are a couple to look out for.
Bulb Rot
As mentioned before, the bulbs of some species have a central hole which can fill with water if planted upright.
Amending the soil with grit so it drains well and planting these types of bulbs sideways will help prevent this problem.
Bulb rot can take hold in oversaturated soil and is often not noticeable until spring, when the plants fail to sprout.
Rust
Although rust is not a common, nor serious, problem, the orange-colored blotches this fungus creates can be a nuisance.
Fortunately, this condition is usually self-limiting and resolves with a good clean up of any affected foliage.
Keep your plants well spaced, your beds neat and tidy, and make sure that when you water you do so at the ground level.
Soaking foliage and flowers can disperse the spores of this meddlesome fungus and cause it to spread to other plants in the garden.
If you’re comfortable applying a fungicide to affected parts of your plants, start with Neem oil.
You can find Bonide Neem Oil available at Arbico Organics.
Make sure to follow all directions listed on the back of the container carefully.
Unsung Bulbs of Spring
Although there’s nothing wrong with the usual, cheerful parade of crocuses and daffodils, don’t you feel ready to try something a little different?
Reliable, beautiful, tough as they come, the fritillarias are an excellent, often overlooked option for the spring garden. Give them a go and see what you think!
Do you grow any fritillarias in your garden? Which ones? Let us know in the comments section below and feel free to share some pictures!
To learn more about flowering bulbs and how to grow them in your landscape, check out these guides next:
