Fritillaria 2019

[Steve Garvie]

That’s an attractive wee frit Saori.

We are currently in the longest, warmest late February weather on record. New flowers are appearing almost daily here whilst individual blooms are not lasting long -especially under glass.

Fritillaria stenanthera -two different forms:





Fritillaria ariana -a form from Turkmenistan



Fritillaria bucharica -quite an attractive form.



Fritillaria aff. karelinii -bought under this name. It looks similar to bucharica but has some light spotting. The flowers look a bit congested, perhaps due to the unseasonal warmth.

[ChrisB]

Fritillaries assyriaca from Augis Bulbs

[Steve Garvie]

Three species of the Rhinopetalum group of Fritillaria are superficially very similar. Fritillaria ariana is usually a taller, more robust plant with lanceolate lower leaves and unspotted flowers. It tends to be the earliest flowering of the trio. However, I struggle to separate karelinii from gibbosa. The plants below are listed under the names by which I obtained them though I have some doubts about the veracity of these names.

Fritillaria karelinii -two different forms:





Fritillaria gibbosa -three different forms:







Fritillaria sp. -probably another form of gibbosa

[colin e]

The warm weather and sunshine we are currently having is definitely bringing things on and helping some plants I upset earlier in the season. Fritillaria crassifolia subsp hakkarensis grown from seed is flowering well. I would like it to get a bit taller. Another one just starting to flower that I would like to get taller, but as yet never has, is Fritillaria kotschyana.  One I am happy for it to stay small is Fritillaria serpenticola.
One of the species I upset earlier in the year unfortunately was Fritillaria chitralensis, but this warmer weather has definitely benefitted them all. Plants that I thought I had killed are actually coming through the gravel now but flowering is poor. Lastly, one species that I have never got to flower acceptably for me is Fritillaria sewerzowii. They all start flowering before the stem has extended. As an experiment I put one in my bulb bed outside and unprotected it has only just come through the gravel. I will have to see what it does. 

Colin

[colin e]

Another Fritillaria stenanthera has recently opened for me; it is stenanthera ex lilac blue forms JJA 503 201. I am as yet undecided if I like it but it is different. It also for me has not been the best of growers. I will see how it does from now on. Fritillaria obliqua HA1: Paul gave me three bulbs of this plant a long time ago; it did well for a time but I must have upset it because it went backwards and is now on the way up again. This next plant has gone through some name changes. It started as fleischeriana then I was told it should be called aff. pinardii and now it is said to be  aff. kittaniae but I still like it. Another one I have with a possible split personality is this next one, given to me by Norman Stevens as Fritillaria pinardii/carica. I would go pinardii but I have not looked at its bits yet. The last two pictures are of a seed raised plant, Fritillaria pinardii SRGC 15. The SRGC means the seed came from the Scottish Rock Gardening Club and the 15 means it was sown September 2015 and it is flowering now after only three growing seasons. I have added the picture of the bulbs to show how small some Frit bulbs can be and flower if grown well. I use the label as a size reference - it is 2 cm wide.

Colin

[PaulFlowers]

Fritillaria aurea and then Amana- they’re out in the storm this weekend.

[colin e]

I got two bulbs labelled as Fritillaria anhuiensis in 2017. They have yet to flower so that I can confirm their identity. Whatever they are, they seem to be very vigorous. The first picture is of bulb B having been soaked after receiving them. The second picture is what it looked like after its first growing season. It was re-potted on the 01/06/18, the one bulb in its own pot! On the 23/02/19, as you can see in the third picture, four shoots emerged from the one bulb and in the fourth picture you can see it definitely wants to grow. I now just have to hope it is Fritillaria anhuiensis and the flower live up to expectations!

Colin

[Steve Garvie]

I have the same Fritillaria Colin (Image taken this morning in a Monsoon!). My two bulbs had a good growing season last year but despite this they are not going to flower this year. The larger bulb seems to have produced 4 new growths and the smaller two. This species is grown in China as a crop for Chinese medicine production. I believe it is the bulb that is used rather than the flowers. I fear that these plants have been selected for vegetative propagation rather than flower power.

[arisaema]

I fear that these plants have been selected for vegetative propagation rather than flower power.

Now that would be rather annoying... Half of August Wu's family lives in Anhui, so I guess it would be worth heading east eventually. The supplier did offer a picture of them in flower, and I remember Yijia Wang having one of the same species years ago being a rather tight clump of leaves with some flowering stems in the middle, not unlike F. camtschatcensis. Give it plenty of fertilizer and a hot summer rest, and let them get a bit crowded in the pot, and hopefully it'll flower eventually!

[Steve Garvie]

..............and a hot summer rest, and let them get a bit crowded in the pot, and hopefully it'll flower eventually!

Perhaps that’s where I’ve gone wrong, I kept them cool and with a hint of moisture over the Summer.

[arisaema]

Perhaps that’s where I’ve gone wrong, I kept them cool and with a hint of moisture over the Summer.

Try hot and fairly wet: https://weatherspark.com/y/131695/Average-Weather-in-Anqing-China-Year-Round

They grow wild at higher altitudes than the city of Anqing, so you can expect somewhat lower temperatures, especially in winter - but it should give you an idea. It's certainly not an alpine!

[colin e]

Steve my second bulb produced three shoots (picture below). It was smaller. There was a discussion on another platform that likened it to Fritillaria thunbergii and there is a form of that plant that does not flower but grows well. We will have see what we can do. I did not say before but for a size guide the label is 2 cm wide.

Colin

[colin e]

Another Norman Stevens bulb is this Fritillaria graeca from Mt Melanon Greece (I think that is what was on the packet) but I cannot find it (the mountain). A couple of plants grown from AGS seed, Fritillaria graeca x davisii and Fritillaria ruthenica, both in flower now. Also flowering now another of the short ones, Fritillaria latifolia var nobilis PF9169 ,seed from Gothenburg. Finally a shot of plunges A B C from the 28 Feb.

Colin

[ArnoldT]

Colin:
 I see you plunge your pots in plastic.

Do you find it provides adequate moisture?

Thanks,

[colin e]

Hi Arnold,
I water into the pots and if anything I use the plunge to absorb excess water. It is also to keep the roots cool as well as providing the appropriate temperature for the bulbs.

Colin