How to Grow Fritillaria Plants in your Garden
Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Fritillary, Missionbell and Crown Imperial
Fritillaria plants reach about 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) in height. They bear bell shaped flowers of yellow, orange, purple, green, or white in the spring.
They make for great edging and border plants.
Some common names for Fritillaria include Fritillary, Toad lily, Missionbell, Snake's head Fritillary, Guinea hen flower, and Crown Imperial.
Photographs: Fritillaria imperialis by bengt-re’s and Fritillaria biflora by mikebaird.
Fritillaria Growing and Care Guide
Common Names: Fritillary, Missionbell, Checkered Lily, Crown Imperial, Chocolate Lily, Guinea-hen Flower, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Snake’s Head Lily, Leper Lily, Toad Lily.
Life Cycle: Hardy bulb.
Height: 4 to 48 inches (10 to 120 cm).
Native: Northern Hemisphere; temperate.
Family: Liliaceae.
Flowers: Spring.
Flower Details: White, plum, green, brown, orange, yellow. Bell-shaped.
Foliage: Tufted leaves.
Bulbs: Small 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm); Large 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). Surrond with coarse sand. Late in summer and early Autumn.
Seeds: Cover. Germination time: Up to one and a half years.
Seed: Method 1: Seeds should first be sown into flats in the autumn. Next sink the flat into the ground in an area that offers shade, preferably close to a wall that faces north. Provide a glass/plastic covering. Keep an eye on the flats to ensure that the soil remains moist. Bring the flats indoors at the beginning of spring and keep at 55 to 60°F (13 to 16°C). Transplant seedlings towards the end of summer or early autumn.
Seed: Method 2: In the spring, mix seeds in a moist growing medium, then put in flats, wrap in a large plastic bag, then stratify by refrigeration for three weeks. Next bury the flat as described above. Once seedlings emerge transplant them to their final location.
Miscellaneous: Deer do not like to eat Fritillaria plants.
How to Grow Fritillary and other Fritillaria Plants in the Garden
Fritillaria can be grown from seed or bulbs. The bulbs should be planted outdoors at the end or summer through to the beginning of Autumn.
The Fritillary bulbs should be planted 10 cm / 4 inches (small species) to 20 cm / 8 inches deep, and have the tops surrounded by sand.
If you like a challenge, then Fritillary seeds can be planted indoors in the spring. The Fritillary seeds should be sown into a flat (just cover the seeds), then imbibed by putting the flat into a black plastic bin bag, and placing in the fridge for three weeks.
The flat should then be removed, and sunk into the ground in a shady location.
As soon as the seedlings appear (germination takes from one to one and a half years!), they should be planted at a spacing of about 10 cm / 4 inches (small species) to 25 cm / 10 inches (large species) apart. Locate in a sunny or partially shaded part of the garden, that has good drainage.
Caring for Fritillary in your Garden
Fritillary likes to grow in a rich soil. It will take about five years until the Fritillary will flower.
They should be mulched in the winter. Fritillary will produce bulblets, these may lead to too many plants in close proximity, and therefore they should be controlled by dividing every five years or so.
The Fritillary bulblets can also be used to propagate more plants in the autumn.
I hope that you found this guide on how to grow Fritillaria plants in your garden. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Canna Lily, Tricyrtis plant, and Nomocharis plants.
If you enjoy the information on this site, then you'll love my book: The Gardener's HQ Plant Growing Guide. Available for Kindle (MOBI), iPad (ePub) and as a PDF.
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