Fritillaria-2008

[chris]

here my first two Fritillaria in bloom this year, the first is F.raddeana, the one I showed last year in pot and now I have planted it out in the garden.
The second one is a bulb from Japan, F.ayakoana, didnt find information in the Gardener's Guide, can someone tell me how I have to treat it?

[ashley]

Early (& short) Fritillaria messanensis ssp gracilis.

[Diane Clement]

The second one is a bulb from Japan, F.ayakoana, didnt find information in the Gardener's Guide, can someone tell me how I have to treat it?

With care, Chris!  It's a little beauty.  It is one of the group of Japanese frit woodlanders, including Frits japonica, koidzumiana (now a separate species), amabilis, shikokiana, and a couple more I can't remember.  I grow 3 or 4 species in this group (depending on how many have come through the winter).  They like a woodsy soil, well drained, plenty of leaf mould, with lots of shade in the summer.  Sounds like hepaticas, so you should be OK with them.  But they are not 100% hardy as they come from lower altitudes than japanese hepaticas.  They are inclined to come through very early in the season and then they are vulnerable to frosts.  I am very fond of them but they are not easy to get hold of and mine have never set seed.

Here's my Frit koidzumiana (sorry for fuzzy picture)

 

[art600]

Chris

Where did you get the Frit ayakoana?  It is very beautiful.

[art600]

Diane

Where did you get your Frit.  You said the Japanese were difficult to find, and I assume, therefore, expensive.

[Maggi Young]

Fritillaria ayakoana is gorgeous ! Ian looked at the picture and said... "oh, it's one of the japonica types... so pretty.. wish I had some to learn how to grow them!!" 

[Diane Clement]

Diane   Where did you get your Frit.  You said the Japanese were difficult to find, and I assume, therefore, expensive.

Mine were free     from a generous Japanese friend who stays with me several times a year.  He gets them from Japanese nurseries.  (It's the same source as most of my Hepatica japonica as well)

The easiest to get hold of in the UK is F koidzumiana (often listed under its old name of F japonica ssp koidzumiana).  Paul Christian has sometimes sold it, it's also worth trying Edrom and Westonbirt.

[chris]

thanks Diane for the information, I think I will hold them in my alpine hous where most of my japanese hepaticas grow.
My Fritillarias where also a present from a japanese friend, he also brings F.japonica, F.koidzumiana, F.amabilis and F.shikokiana, two bulbs of each so I hope to get some seed.
F.sibthorpiana is flowering in the greenhouse

[Diane Clement]

My Fritillarias where also a present from a japanese friend, he also brings F.japonica, F.koidzumiana, F.amabilis and F.shikokiana, two bulbs of each so I hope to get some seed.

It would be nice to see pictures of your other Japanese species if possible

[chris]

if they will flower than I show them, Diane

[Maggi Young]

Chris and Diane, you are VERY fortunate...... it breaks our hearts that the BD and I have no Japanese friends 

[shelagh]

Woo them with haggis Maggi, they'll probably think its a new mix of compost!

[shelagh]

Good Lord, have all the Scots gone to sleep! I thought they'd be on me like a ton or is it tonne of bricks for making a crack about their gradely puddin.

[Maggi Young]

In truth, Shelagh, while a quality haggis can be a thing of mouthwatering delicacy, the fact is that nowadays most are barely useable even AS compost.

It's a sad life.... low calibre haggis and no Japanese frits...... 

[chris]

I wish I coult taste your mouthwatering haggis but I had only some japanese Frits, here F.japonica