Fritillaria 2012

[PeterT]

nice bright minuta Ron.

[ronm]

Thanks Peter. I think it has an undeserved reputation for being 'measly' and 'boring'. Again ( like most of these Fritss ) it is quite variable in stature and colour, colour ranging with me from brick red to almost pink. It seems that it is often confused with some variations of F. pinardii, but I think next to each other they appear very different.

[PeterT]

I don't know the two species well enough to comment  on their relationship Ron, but my general impression is of rather dull coloured flowers for  both. 

[ronm]

That is true Peter.

[art600]

Thank you Ron  - nice specimen but still not a favourite.

[Lesley Cox]

Maybe not a favourite but still lovely. Perhaps when there are such gems like alburyana, aurea et al, we expect every one to be outstanding. My main complaint about minuta is that for me it produces masses of foliage and very few flowers.

[art600]

Exactly what I have found

[Mike Ireland]

Second year flowering from seed, Fritillaria kotschyana.
Hope the name is correct.

Mike

[Gerry Webster]

Very impressive Mike.

[ronm]

It probably is right Mike. F.kotschyana is  a very variable species ( yes .. another one! ) and similar to a few others ( especially on a photograph ). But in this one the size of the flower, cf the overall plant, the way the leaves are held it looks right to me. It has been commonly available for a number of years and is produced in large numbers, so I see no reason for anyone to do anything shady when it comes to this plant. 
Mr. Ian Young named one selection F.kotschyana 'Craigton Max', I believe from second generation Iranian seed. So if anyone can positive ID your plant I think the right people are about on here. 
There is also an excellent article by R&R Wallis in the most recent Frit Group Journal, on this species.

Lesley and Arthur, what cultural conditions do you have for your F.minuta, please? I had this trouble when I first started but now gets flowers most years on my seed raised plants. I dont let them dry out, keeping them just moist in summer. Then in cold shade over winter, until I see the first noses, then into as much sun as I can give. My original bulbs were very bad at flowering even under this regime.

[Sinchets]

My F.minuta are out the garden, Ron.

[ronm]

Do they flower regularly for you Simon?

[Ian Y]

Second year flowering from seed, Fritillaria kotschyana.
Hope the name is correct.

Mike

I would say you have the right plant Mike, it is a variable species and as Ron says I named a selection 'Craigton Max' some years ago.
It has large flowers with quite a lot of green and recurving tips.

[Mike Ireland]

Ian & Ron
Thankyou both for the info.

Ian your Craigton Max is brilliant.

[Lesley Cox]

Ron, my F. minuta is in a pot but out in all weathers with all the others. The compost is humusy/gritty, same as for most. However, they do need repotting and rarely get it and also probably could do with a good dressing of potash. I could do this now though I've repotted a few over this last week and found every one well rooted so I dont want to disturb too much. It's well into an early autumn here now, frost on my car this morning.

I've seen minuta growing in alpine house conditions in Christchurch and there too it it was all foliage and only a couple of flowers.