Fritillaria 2009

[Janis Ruksans]

Two more frits from Siberia & China
Janis

 Fritillaria walujewii
 Fritillaria taipaiensis

[Susan Band]

Janis,
Did you ever decide on a name for the Chinese Frit. that is grey on the outside and checkered purple on the inside? For a while it was thought to be F. walujewii but is obviously not.
Also a couple of other versions of F. taipaiensis.
Susan

[Sinchets]

Susan, I had a very similar Frit to your Frit1, which was bought as F.tachenensis. I never found any reference to it online and became unsure as to whether it was wrongly named when I bought it or if I made the name up from a spelling mistake. It was the same shape as yours, with small leaftip tendrils, but plaer and unfortunately sterile- it had pink pollen and contorted stigmas.

[Susan Band]

Simon,
I got them from China under a few different names. It sets seed here but the seedlings haven't got to flowering size yet.
It seems to like it here outside in a gritty bed. I need a name in anticipation of them getting to saleable size 
Susan

[Sinchets]

Having lost mine, I would happily buy yours as 'Frit1 id unknown'!

[Magnar]

Nice to see all the different Frits.. truly great plants.
First one out here this season is F. armena

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,
Did you ever decide on a name for the Chinese Frit. that is grey on the outside and checkered purple on the inside? For a while it was thought to be F. walujewii but is obviously not.
Also a couple of other versions of F. taipaiensis.
Susan

Susan,
This chinese I got under all possible names. I tried to name it using Flora of China and the single one to which it approximates turned F. monanthos, but I'm not sure that it is correct name - see picture attached. Easy and difficult in same time with me. Bulbs quite strange - large and usually looks not healthy - strangely greyish toned. Good grower if left without replanting or replanted immediately. How to keep in bulb shed - don't know. In last time I dig it out just before despatching to customer - then travels well. If kept longer in bulb shed without protection - very soon start to wilt and dies. Keeping in sand helps very little and for short time. Keeping in plastic bag - induces rotting. I have good stocks as I got it under at least 10 different names. Slightly variable - are with green stem and leaves and with brownish stem and dark leaves. Flower slightly variable, too.
In addition fkowers of F. dagana and single bloom of F. davidii this year (plenty was last spring).
Janis

[Paul T]

Wow, certainly some species and varieties that I've never seen here!!  Susan, I love that grey one of yours, and Janis there are so many of yours that are to die for.  I've never seen a double meleagris before!! 

[Lesley Cox]

I have several times tried F. monantha from seed - various sources including the Frit Group - and it always has been F. nigra or something close.

[Janis Ruksans]

I have several times tried F. monantha from seed - various sources including the Frit Group - and it always has been F. nigra or something close.

Possibly it was montana, not monanthos? Montana is regarded as synonim of nigra by some botanists.
Janis

[Sinchets]

Lesley, are you familar with Richard Dawkins principle of 'Hawks and Doves'?

[Zdenek]

Here are two of my Frits from this spring.
Fritillaria aurea
Fritillaria latifolia

[Lesley Cox]

I have several times tried F. monantha from seed - various sources including the Frit Group - and it always has been F. nigra or something close.

Possibly it was montana, not monanthos? Montana is regarded as synonim of nigra by some botanists.
Janis

Thank you Janis, that was probably the case, but it is annoying that at least three people are making the same mistake with their naming.

Hawks and doves? No, this has passed me by. Please?

[Sinchets]

It's a theory relating to behavioural dynamics in natural populations. The doves give and the hawks take. Any given population can only survive a certain number of hawks before it all goes pear shaped and the ecosystem (or seed exchange) collapses.

[Paul T]

Zdenek,

Both are amazing.  Such large flowers on such small plants.  Neither have I ever grown here, but the aurea in particular I must try for at some stage as it is a cracker!!  Thank you!