Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: colin e on November 28, 2019, 10:36:10 AM
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Having got back from the talk at the Fritillaria Group meeting last Saturday, I was surprised at how much things had moved on.
Having gone through the seed pots in the fridge by carefully taking the gravel back to reveal the seeds, another 9 pots had germinated. That is now a total of 22 pots that have germinated since they were sown in October this year; of these 8 have emerged (see picture). These 8 will have to go into Paul’s frost free greenhouse having looked at the temperatures coming this weekend.
I had been a bit worried by how few pots had live roots out of the bottom of them at this stage in the year. But thinking about it, due to night time temperatures not having been below 10c regularly till late in the year the bulbs got their first watering later than normal. I have now jumped up to 67 pots with live roots out. So I think this is just me not factoring in the differences between this year and previous years.
Fritillaria persica OP213063 is now in its third year and again has come up very early. It also germinated and emerged very early on 6 Nov 2017 having been sown on the 8 Sept 2017(see picture). I have also put 3 bulbs of this in the bulb bed and they have also come up.
Fritillaria persica green form Israel: this one also seems to be early into growth. They are just at the start of their second year’s growth (see picture). They had germinated and emerged by 2 Dec. 2018.
Fritillaria verticillata Urdzhar AB 18: I have now had two bulbs for just over a year and it has surprised me by coming through this early (see picture). The other bulb is in another pot. I have another different Fritillaria verticillata which has also come through as well. I do not have much experience with this species - time will tell how I do.
As Rannveig said on Saturday in her talk, water Fritillaria karelinii and it will be in growth in no time. It is quite incredible just how fast the shoot can come up from nothing showing. See picture - the day before I did not see any sign of it.
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A month on from my last post and I now have 34 seed pots that have germinated and 23 of those pots have now emerged. A couple of pictures attached - one is of seed of my own production of Fritillaria alfredae subsp glaucoviridis. The other is a pot of Fritillaria striata seedlings.The seed for this I was very lucky to be given this year.
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Also my earlier panic of very few pots having live roots out of the bottom has been pretty much put to bed as I currently have 215 pots with live roots out the bottom. I also surprisingly have 36 pots with vegetative growth above the gravel. 6 of these came through in November, the remaining 30 have all come through in December. The two forms of Fritillaria persica that came through in November have grown quite a bit - pictures below. The Fritillaria verticillata Urdzhar has not moved on as fast as the persica’s but is still moved, if very slowly. I will just have to hope we do not get a prolonged very cold spell in January or February.
Fritillaria karelinii is not in flower yet which I would normally expect but that is most probably due to how late I watered this year; but they are in bud which should open early January (pictured below).
Of the Frits that have come through in December, Fritillaria grayana (pictured below) and other biflora types are to be expected but purdyi has also put in an appearance to my surprise. This is about a month before I would normally expect it.
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Colin as you're using plastic pots, do you also water inside the pot or just around the sand?
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Hi Yann
I water into my pots and use the sand plunge to take up any excess water. I have to add that I only put 10% of my mixes water holding capacity on at any one time and that my mix is VERY free draining. I also monitor the moisture level of the sand at the bottom of all the plunges with a moisture meter.
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What type of moisture meter do you use Colin?
I have tried a few cheap water meters in the past but found them to be so variable in their readings that they were of no practical use. I need something that can measure (with some accuracy) the moisture content of soil, sand and also large grain porous material such as pumice/seramis.
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Hi Steve
I do not think there is a good all-round moisture meter I am afraid. I have just worked out what reading I want for each plunge with the sand I have used and how well compacted the sand is. The reading I get is just an indication not a definitive figure. What I use is just a cheap moisture meters from a garden centre pictured below sorry no real help to you.
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A different Fritillaria karelinii has actually just made it into flower in 2019 pictures below.
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Nice karelinii Colin!
Thanks for your comments on the moisture meter.
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Things are definitely moving due to the mild weather that we have had so far here in Somerset. I have also probably done better with my seeds by putting them in the fridge. So far 36 have germinated and 32 have emerged. Some have still to germinate but these are mainly the ones I would expect to take time.
In the greenhouse I do not think I have ever had plants this advanced this early in the year before. Currently I have 256 pots with live root out of the bottom and 133 with growth above gravel. Some other Fritillaria karelinii are now in flower, pictured below. I have a Fritillaria davisii that is always early but not this advanced, pictured below. I think I am going to have to pot up separately the three bulbs in one of my pots of seed raised Fritillaria sewerzowii. The pot pictured below now only has these three bulbs in it, as I put one in the bulb bed at last repotting. As you can see in the picture, they all come up at different times, one in flower, one coming through and one not showing yet. So it makes watering difficult. The final picture is of Fritillaria eduardii var inodora just coming through; it is looking promising. I just have to hope it gets a bit taller before the flowers try to open.
Colin
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Well I think we have all here in the UK been thinking that it couldn’t stay this mild. Well for us it did not, we have just had three nights on the run with -5c and the last 36 hours were all below freezing. That has meant the germinated and emerged seedling had to go into Paul’s frost free greenhouse; I do not like leaving them in my greenhouse when it is that cold. All the other Frits do not seem to have been upset at all. I am as yet not sure how the Frits in the bulb bed outside with no protection at all will cope. Some looked awful like Fritillaria thunbergii pictured below, but now look none the worst for the experience. Three other Fritillaria (biflora var ineziana, persica OP213063 and davisii) all had a good covering of ice crystals but did not seem worried and still do not; pictured below. Time may reveal a different story. The only one of these to have been in for over a year is Fritillaria davisii which looks to have got larger from its first year in the bed.
Colin
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As well as the above my Fritillaria stenanthera are all starting. Here are just two of them. The Fritillaria karelinii have basically gone over now but my pots of Fritillaria gibbosa are starting to flower. The pot pictured below are just starting their fourth growing season raised from my own seed. It is looking promising that this Frit Group seed raised Fritillaria pluriflora, sown in 2014, will flower for the first time as what it says it is. Finally, a bulb that I did not expect to flower because the bulb has a diameter of less than 1cm and I have not been doing well with it. It is said to be a form of Fritillaria uva-vulpis.
Colin
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As Bob Wallis has said, things are moving on quickly now even after our three nights of -5c which checked things for a few days. Like Bob I also have Fritillaria straussii in flower which is not unusual for my JJA plant pictured below. What is unusual for me is to have one of my other straussii flowering at the same time. This one was grown from Frit Group seed, picture below. The Fritillaria sewerzowii I mentioned before you can really see why I will have to pot these up separately. If you look at the picture below they are all at different growth stages. The Fritillaria eduardii var inodora has moved on. I would have liked the stem to have elongated more before the flowers started to open but it does what it wants not what I want - unlike Fritillaria verticillata Urdzhar whose stem has elongated but which seems to be hugging the sand plunge for warmth; picture below.
Colin
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I'm pleased to let everyone know that a whole lot more back issues of the Fritillaria Group Journal are now available to read and download for free on the Fritillaria Group website, at http://www.fritillaria.org.uk/journal.html (http://www.fritillaria.org.uk/journal.html). Issues No. 22 (Spring 2008) to No. 44 (Spring 2019) are now available. Issues earlier than these may be added in future - but no electronic versions exist of these so they will need scanning from paper copies. That's a long job! Meanwhile, enjoy the wealth of information, articles and pictures in what's there so far.
Paul
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I always end up sowing more pots of seed than I intended to. This year 49 were sown at the correct time; 5 have not germinated but 2 of these were sown more in hope rather than expecting something. The other 3 are high altitude sp. and these very often germinate late. So I still have time. I also have an additional 9 pots that were sown way outside the optimal time window for sowing seed and 5 have germinated in the last few days. As for what is in flower, it is predominately Fritillaria stenanthera: three different ones pictured below.
Colin
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As I said before, the Fritillaria gibbosa have started. The one I showed before is now in full flower, pictured below along with four more different single flowers.
Colin
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Fritillaria eduardii var. inodora has at last decided to grow to its proper height. At the other end of the spectrum is Fritillaria serpenticola; it will get a bit taller than this but not by much. Fritillaria pluriflora seemed to take forever for the flowers to finish developing and open, which they have now done. But when I checked how long ago it was since I first mentioned them it is only two weeks. All pictured below.
Colin
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Superb Frits Colin. Pluriflora is particularly attractive. You have had it colder than we have up here.
Last Autumn I moved my Rhinopetalums to a colder greenhouse which has numerous vents and doors at each end. This has significantly delayed their appearance. As always ariana is the first to show followed by stenanthera with gibbosa and karelinii only starting to flower in the last 10 days. The images aren’t great as the light levels here are dire!
Fritillaria stenanthera -the first came from Kath Dryden many years ago. The second is from the Karatau, Tajikistan.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565461801_dedf6ee1d8_z_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49564958468_d7f6003a83_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria ariana -the first image is a close-up of an individual flower. The second image shows how tall these plants (originally from Afghanistan) can get. They are at least 80cm tall with quite thick stems. The pot is next to a particularly drafty vent and the plants are showing some wind-burn on the leading leaflets above the flowers (the flower buds were unaffected). I've had to stake them (there are two separate plants in this pot, seed is usually set).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49564954148_eb26401a03_z_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565457156_1b002f15c9_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria baisunensis -a recently described species from Shurab, Baisun-tau in Uzbekistan.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565452841_48eb88e819_c_d.jpg)
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Thanks Steve. Yes we have had some cold weather but it has also been very mild at times. Like you we have noticed how bad the light levels have been because of the overcast weather, which we have found has made some plants etiolate.
I like your Fritillaria baisunensis. I am still uncertain if this name has been accepted. In general I do agree with Jānis Rukšāns it is very different from Fritillaria bucharica but they do seem to be very closely related. I can see one big problem with it - if people do not take care to prevent bucharica pollen getting on to it, the resulting seed raised plants end up looking just like bucharica and not baisunensis. I know, I have played with it.
Colin
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The last Fritillaria gibbosa to flower for me this year is pictured below. A single bulb of Fritillaria crassifolia subsp hakkarensis, which I now think I should be calling Fritillaria hakkarensis, is flowering pictured below. Next year I should have two bulbs because this year the one bulb has two flowering shoots that have a total of six flowers, three on each shoot. A relatively new one for me is Fritillaria avromanica which is flowering for the second time. Last year it was even shorter than this. I had hoped one of the three other small bulbs would have flowered so I could make seed, but no such luck. Fritillaria koidzumiana has managed to flower again for me after I seriously upset them a few years back by not taking them out of the greenhouse for summer dormancy. I do not know why this one bulb of Fritillaria latifolia (var nobilis) PF9169 has flowered so early for me. The other three smaller bulbs are only just coming into growth. Sorry the picture is not very good, but unfortunately I took it when we actually had some sunshine - a rarity this year.
Colin
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Fritillaria rhodocanakis subsp. argolica (??)
26cm, leaf > 13mm, yellow tipped
May be an hybrid F. spetsiotica x F rhodocanakis
I found an interesting publication https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333227474_Hybridization_and_karyotype_variability_of_three_endemic_Fritillaria_L_Liliaceae_in_Argolis_Peninsula_Greece?fbclid=IwAR1hfhqh7xzdXo0StTum7jqTtAzjJGX38rxNivSJfoi_Ovujn0x4IOYSzRw (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333227474_Hybridization_and_karyotype_variability_of_three_endemic_Fritillaria_L_Liliaceae_in_Argolis_Peninsula_Greece?fbclid=IwAR1hfhqh7xzdXo0StTum7jqTtAzjJGX38rxNivSJfoi_Ovujn0x4IOYSzRw)
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It does not look like I have worked out how to get Fritillaria anhuiensis to flower yet. This is the third year I have grown it. The pot pictured below started out as one bulb. I am starting to think it could just be a plant that increases vegetativley rather than flowering and setting seed.
Now, nearly every pot I have is in growth whether it is roots out of the bottom of pots or shoots showing. Two pictures below show my plunges. They also show that it is time to isolate any plant you want to set true seed on by hand pollination. The next picture shows a Fritillaria yuminensis in isolation waiting for me to pollinate it. If you do not do this and you have a varied collection you run the risk of hybrids being made. The last picture shows what I mean. I was expecting a pot full of Fritillaria conica but that is not what I got. I harvested the seed off a Fritillaria conica in 2015 and I did have other plants of conica in flower but obviously that is not where the pollen came from. If I had to guess it probably came from a Fritillaria davisii but who knows.
Colin
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Fritillaria raddeana First year I have had this one!
[attach=1]
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Some more Rhinopetalum Frits in flower here. I’m not 100% certain that the species names are correct though most have come from wild-collected seed.
Fritillaria gibbosa
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565460406_2485c3b10b_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria gibbosa
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565458236_2dfe6481d9_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria karelinii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565688402_2b407d538d_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria karelinii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565459216_a4a24598a2_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria karelinii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49564955553_b1f7c38f7a_z_d.jpg)
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I have been hand-pollinating the Fritillaria yuminensis that has been isolated. It is early days for me to know if I have been successful; picture below. One that I would like to make more of, but I currently only have one flowering size bulb, is Fritillaria fleischeriana JJA 495 560. I did have two, but I put a seed capsule on one which did not produce good seed and I only got one seedling out of it. To add insult to injury that bulb then did not regrow; a couple of pictures below. One that I seem to be doing well with at the moment is Fritillaria purdyi which is just starting to flower; picture below. Finally, one that I used to flower regularly before we moved is Fritillaria minuta. I think this is the first time it has flowered since we moved; picture below.
Colin
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purdyi is fascinating, a unique shape.
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This is all about Fritillaria bucharica Pulkhakim or Fritillaria baisunensis. This plant has had a lot of names ascribed to it. I am not a botanist just an amateur grower so it is from this perspective I am coming. The first picture below is of a pot of seedlings that I got from hand pollinating a plant I had as Fritillaria bucharica Pulkhakim with another person’s similarly named plant. Both of these plants I suspected were not true, pure F. baisunensis but already had some normal bucharica in them (i.e. that both these plants were hybrids). I already knew it would cross very easily with ordinary bucharica having already done this cross and got a lot of viable seed. I would have to go back to 2008 to see a plant that may not have been diluted with ordinary bucharica, see picture below. The next picture shows the reverse of the tepals and petals of one of my seedlings showing the typical markings I would expect in this plant and not in bucharica. This is followed by a picture showing the anthers, one that has dehisced showing the yellow pollen as well as five that have not dehisced and look black. In the final image you can see five dehisced anthers and one that has not dehisced but still yellowish. Something I would expect of ordinary bucharica. Also going back to the first picture you can see my seedlings have lower leaves more like ordinary bucharica and not bucharica Pulkhakim (Fritillaria baisunensis). What I have tried this year is to cross two seedlings that look more like Fritillaria Pulkhakim/ baisunensis to see if I can get back to plants more like those in the second picture. Time will tell.
Jānis Rukšāns is the person that found the plant and subsequently put it forward as Fritillaria baisunensis. His description was published in The International Rock Gardener with some better pictures than mine. (link http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jun271561661867IRG114.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jun271561661867IRG114.pdf) ).
Colin
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The Fritillaria japonica is the first flowering Fritillaria this year for me. It has a very beautiful flower. It is a littl bit like a small white Fritillaria meleagris. But not only the flower is interesting, the bulb is interesting too. A flowering size bulb is not bigger than a pea. It is easy to overlook, when potting.
Ophrys
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Fritillaria raddeana stayed small this year.
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Fritillaria ayakoana -I would love to try some of the other Japanese Frits but they are rarely for sale in the UK.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565457486_1c9f25a1d7_c_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49641266876_498b924e87_c_d.jpg)
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Fritillaria armena
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49641265766_7aca1697c1_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria zagrica
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49641268946_9e98d760a6_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria straussii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49641267896_0836397ec1_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria aurea BATM 371. I suspect that this is a wild hybrid rather than pure aurea.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49640742198_48ba30a238_c_d.jpg)
Fritillaria aurea -The stem rapidly lengthens with rising temperatures.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49565685772_6b206c68b5_c_d.jpg)
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Due to the warm weather this winter and spring, the Fritillarias are very early this year. The beautiful Fritillaria strausii (it has subtle beauty) is the second Fritillaria this year here.
[attachimg=1]
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At last I have some flowers on Fritillaria davidii! I've selfed the flowers, but don't know if it is self-fertile.
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Outside of the greenhouse, I have been trying some odd planting of Fritillaria in grass at the front of our house. This came about because we found that we had a small population of Pyramidal orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis) (now over 140 plants). So the decision was made to manage the grass there for them. This means no cutting of the grass when they are in growth and to make it look more pleasing we have put a lot of spring bulbs into it. So I had to put some Fritillaria in. I used a lot of small bulbs I had left after repotting or bulbs not needed in the greenhouse. Fritillaria meleagris, Fritillaria pontica, Fritillaria acmopetala and Fritillaria elwesii have flowered every year of the last four. In fact Fritillaria elwesii does better for me in the grass (picture below) than in a pot. In total there are ten flowering clumps. One that had one flower the following spring after planting and no more till this year is Fritillaria davisii (picture below in the grass and greenhouse). So far this year we have had flowers from five of the clumps. Another one that went in was Fritillaria kotschyana and until this year had not flowered in the grass, but this year it has (pictured below). Sorry it is not very good - I thought I would wait a day to get a better picture but the slugs had a different idea. Also this year I have seen in a number of places in the grass clusters of leaves that could be Fritillaria kotschyana; time will tell. The last picture is a pot of it I have in the greenhouse. I will probably try some more species in the grass as these have made it to flowering size, but it is getting hard to miss existing bulbs when planting.
Colin
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Cracking idea, Colin - I like it!
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Outside of the greenhouse, I have been trying some odd planting of Fritillaria in grass at the front of our house. This came about because we found that we had a small population of Pyramidal orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis) (now over 140 plants). So the decision was made to manage the grass there for them. This means no cutting of the grass when they are in growth and to make it look more pleasing we have put a lot of spring bulbs into it. So I had to put some Fritillaria in. I used a lot of small bulbs I had left after repotting or bulbs not needed in the greenhouse. Fritillaria meleagris, Fritillaria pontica, Fritillaria acmopetala and Fritillaria elwesii have flowered every year of the last four. In fact Fritillaria elwesii does better for me in the grass (picture below) than in a pot. In total there are ten flowering clumps. One that had one flower the following spring after planting and no more till this year is Fritillaria davisii (picture below in the grass and greenhouse). So far this year we have had flowers from five of the clumps. Another one that went in was Fritillaria kotschyana and until this year had not flowered in the grass, but this year it has (pictured below). Sorry it is not very good - I thought I would wait a day to get a better picture but the slugs had a different idea. Also this year I have seen in a number of places in the grass clusters of leaves that could be Fritillaria kotschyana; time will tell. The last picture is a pot of it I have in the greenhouse. I will probably try some more species in the grass as these have made it to flowering size, but it is getting hard to miss existing bulbs when planting.
Colin
Lovely idea - how big were the bulbs you planted and how did you plant them (poke a hole/ drop in, or plant as you would in a border)? I have a lot of F. meleagris I want to put in our grassy area.
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Anne the bulbs varied in size from flowering size right down to rice. For the bigger ones we dug a hole to put them in. For the smaller ones, we opened a slit with a trowel, dropped them along it and pressed shut.
Colin
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Anne the bulbs varied in size from flowering size right down to rice. For the bigger ones we dug a hole to put them in. For the smaller ones, we opened a slit with a trowel, dropped them along it and pressed shut.
Colin
Thanks, I'll do the same in summer. The 'lawn' is like a water bed at present.
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All five pictures are of Fritillaria kittaniae the first three are seedlings off plants I grew from JJA seed. I was pleased that the bicolour was still present in them so often they can be plane yellow from seed. Which is still nice but I still prefer the bicolour pattern. The last two pictures are again seed raised plants but I got the seed under a different name and after a few name changes I think they have settled with kittaniae and they have strong bicolour markings.
Colin
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Just a few picture of two plants that were due to go to a cancel show yesterday. The first three pictures are of Fritillaria eastwoodiae, the fourth picture is Fritillaria purdyi. The last one is a not very spectacular Fritillaria recurva except it is a pot of seedling sown in September 2017! I did not think any would flower for at least one more year.
Colin
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Amazing - are you able to post your cultivation regime for the
east west-coast ones?
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Amazing - are you able to post your cultivation regime for the east-coast ones?
Did you mean west coast frits, Rob-Rah?
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Did you mean west coast frits, Rob-Rah?
Yes! :) Oregon and all that.... sorry.
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A beautifully scented fritillaria frankiorum
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Fritillaria Montana
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Frit. crassifolia ssp crassifolia
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Cute blooms!
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Hi Rob,
Sorry I have not done this sooner but your question is a bit like how long is a piece of string. Also the weather each year will affect what I do because it affects how they grow. I hope what is below is of some use to you.
West coast Fritillaria cultivation
All I can do is say what I do (very condensed), but be advised you may have to adjust things for your microclimate, conditions and how you work your pots.
My mix is VERY gritty. It is 1 part homemade John Innes, 1 part 2-4mm potting grit and 2 parts Sanicat Pink (cat litter) a substitute for Seramis.
First watering after dormancy has no set date but I watch night temperatures. What I am looking for is overnight temps of 10c or less. I then water, but only enough to have an evenly damp mix. Then do not let it dry out and only increase moisture level of the mix when growth is visible.
I liquid feed at most waterings with Peters Excel: N 15% P 5% K 15%. The concentration I am aiming for is N of no more than 100ppm and about 1000µs total strength. This is about half strength. Half way through the season this is changed to Peters Excel: N 13% K 5% K 20% at quarter strength plus an additional Potash K of 129 ppm (about 2.5g in 9.1lt). Watering is as needed ,but be careful, the basal plates are prone to rotting. If you need to water a lot, alternate between water and feeding.
Temperature requirements will be dependent on where they come from. But in general they do not like it too warm. If it is, the bulb will produce contractile roots to pull itself away from the heat.
Dormancy: do not bake them. If possible keep the temp below 25c. Keep them dry but not dry enough to desiccate them.
Colin
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Whaou! This is art of cultivation ! Thanks Colin,
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The flower is huge; fritillaria oliveiri
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lentune slate: bought from eBay a couple of years ago
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I think this is Fritillaria acmopetala ssp. wendelboi.
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Fritillaria bithynica is flowering for the first time at my home.
[attachimg=1]
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The name Wendelbo reminds me of a book I've had on my shelf for a long time. Tulips and Irises of Iran and their relatives.
Written by Per Wendebo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_Erland_Berg_Wendelbo
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Fritillaria pinardii -a nice form of this variable species.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49716067381_304d8fea52_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria minuta -a spare bulb which has grown well in a covered rockery/crevice bed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49715527868_daafb64447_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria bucharica -bought as poluninii. It is a nice form that flowers later and clumps up more than the other forms of bucharica that I grow.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49716378872_bac87daa9f_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria davidii -I only got two flowers this year.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49716065901_52b637484d_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria crassifolia ssp. hakkariensis
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49716381102_004b84de52_o_d.jpg)
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last lot of pictures
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second lot of pictures
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I am coming to the end of flowering in the greenhouse and some are even thinking of going dormant. This was possibly triggered by the warm weather we had last week and the fact that I did not get the shading on fast enough to keep the temperature as cool as possible. On the plus side, when I compare the time span from emerging above the gravel to starting to go dormant. most have still actually had close to their normal growth time.
Some pictures I have not got round to before are below. In amongst them are three different Fritillaria drenovskii and my original Fritillaria sororum from 2001 followed by three more that I got as small bulbs in 2017. These are very variable and one looks very similar to Fritillaria acmopetala. The last picture is a first for me: Fritillaria tubiformis subsp moggridgei. It has taken me eight year from seed to get this to flower. I think in the first few years I was not giving it what it wanted so it did not grow well.
Colin
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Hi Rob,
Sorry I have not done this sooner but your question is a bit like how long is a piece of string. Also the weather each year will affect what I do because it affects how they grow. I hope what is below is of some use to you.
That's great - many thanks!
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Some bonny wee tubby belles:
Fritillaria collina -three flowering plants at various stages in this pot.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49716380567_1e6226e184_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria aurea ex KPPZ 90-296 -the bell opens up as the flower stem lengthens.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49715523733_7fc2f411a7_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria latifolia -vegetative increase is painfully slow with me.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49715527488_81b13dfd1e_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria tubiformis -a single flower and then a potful of flowers (16).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49715529013_39b880c69e_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49715529448_362c35648a_o_d.jpg)
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Lovely, Steve, what a super potful in that last photo.
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Yes, impressive pot ! how are they multiplicated , by seed or by division ? They are so identical !
I have collected some in the Alps and they all have a different stage of development in the same pot.
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Steve that is a very good pot of tubiformis.
Colin
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Buds of my Fritilaria tubiformis are just emerging from he ground
and my F. crassifolia are not much higher.
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Many thanks Carolyn, Yvain and Colin.
This is all a single clone Yvain.
I’d love to claim great skill and expertise in growing this pot of tubiformis but incompetence plays a big part. I started with a single bulb and nearly killed it a few years ago as a consequence of water-logged compost and exposure to too much heat under glass (whilst still in growth). The bulb split into lots of small bulbs slightly bigger than rice-grains. In the following years I’ve grown the small bulbs cooler in a sharply drained compost with lots of liquid feeds. The pot is kept in a shaded frame after flowering.
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Fritillaria imperialis.
Lives happily under a Russian Medlar. Probably here for 25 years
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Fritillaria grandiflora
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731413086_06f390ff29_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria bithynica
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731839477_054be48958_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria drenovskii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731733902_b0f07abdca_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria tubiformis ssp. moggridgei -a plant intermediate between pure moggridgei and tubiformis.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731417141_41864483c0_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria conica
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731519521_0421e90874_o_d.jpg)
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Fritillaria messanensis var. atlantica
Gerd
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Fritillaria tubiformis ssp. moggridgei -a plant intermediate between pure moggridgei and tubiformis.
Why intermediate? do you've a photo of the upper pattern on the flower?
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Every single F. persica and imperialis in the garden has been destroyed by snails this year. Some 20 plants. They won't come back next year without leaves this year. What a waste. :(
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Why intermediate? do you've a photo of the upper pattern on the flower?
Sorry I missed your post Yann.
No I don’t have an image of the upper pattern of the flower as the flower has gone over with the recent sunny weather. I bought this bulb from Susan Band (Pitcairn Alpines). Susan’s description on her web site is: “ Large chequered bell on smallish stems. An intermediate form between the purple tubiformis and the yellow moggridgei form.”
I have a potful of seedlings that should flower in a year or two. I’m hoping that they will be dumpy yellow chequered bells.
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Some Frits from further east.
Fritillaria tortifolia
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731737397_6873af4c8b_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731736897_6626fa8a45_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria verticillata
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49730869248_997d6c7a8a_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria yuminensis
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731741602_0503b1735e_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria walujewii -this Frit can get quite tall.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49730869773_c55e8c8c13_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731740322_04d3cda311_o_d.jpg)
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you own a great frits collection :P
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Steve,
Wonderful frits, especiallly Fritillaria walujewii, with such a striking colour contrast between the inside and outside of the petals.
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Many thanks Yann and Carolyn.
I still have a few more to come.
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Steve Garvie
Fantastic Fritillarias. Reason I click on the forum. I LOVE the last one! Amazing!
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Seconded, you have a stunning collection Steve! Love seeing these.
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[attachimg=1]
Fritillaria pyreniaca, typical and yellow forms. This is the first year they have flowered, from seed exchange seed about 4 years ago. I think I may have caught the Frit bug...
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
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Some pics of Fritillaria meleagris, the first ones from the Botanic Garden of Wuppertal, the latter ones from my garden
- and also a sign that I am not the only one who loves the flowers ;)
Gerd
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Two indigenous frits from France
Fritillaria involucrata and Fritillaria pyrenaica
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Some Fritillaria meleagris selections - the first two from Gotland, Sweden - found by Henrik Zetterlund and the third from Sulev Savisaar, Estonia
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Fritillaria pontica, maiden bloom.
[attachimg=1]
Fritillaria gussichiae
[attachimg=2]
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Fritillaria crassifolia -- I'm not sure what made the stalk bend the way it has.
[attachimg=1]
Fritillaria affinis, one of several coming into bloom
[attachimg=2]
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Fritillaria meleagris Alba
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The last of the American Frits here (the first two were actually in flower at the start of the month):
Fritillaria liliacaea -two different clones in this pot with obvious differences in flower shape. Perhaps the plant on the left is a hybrid as the flowers look like biflora.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49768948406_f1864e1209_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria biflora ssp. ineziana
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49768948236_db8bb1b2dd_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria affinis
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837281612_5f3990d1ba_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria affinis var. tristis
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49768414418_13d7943a85_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria affinis var. lutea
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836981866_885a2f3b50_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria recurva
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836988226_493f165e86_o_d.jpg)
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The last of the Far-Eastern species in flower here:
Fritillaria pallidiflora -grows well in gritty soil in the open garden (with some shade from wind and strong sun).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836987806_de8e83feb3_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria hupehensis -a poor image. This plant is not easy in a pot and might be better suited to a sheltered spot in the open garden (perhaps between small shrubs)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837284642_81b00dc462_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria meleagroides -this species has a huge range extending from Xinjiang in China westwards to Bulgaria and the Ukraine.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837285097_9a491ba9c8_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria olgae -a rather drab species from the Western Pamir-Alai Mountains which clambers through shrubs and has tendril-like tips to the upper leaves.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837593707_b10341d17b_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836752268_0156e12b76_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837291451_accc31e6b7_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria taipaiensis -I think this is taipaiensis. Apparently the dark purplish blotches on the outside of the flower can vary from heavy to almost non-existent. Flora of China links to an illustration of this species showing that the inner tepals are broader than the outer tepals which fits with the plant illustrated below. Any thoughts would be most welcome. (The plant was raised from SRGC seed labelled as hupehensis).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837289936_918327eaee_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836750823_a422a016e5_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837289176_f9bf30cd82_o_d.jpg)
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Last of the European Frits in flower here:
Fritillaria tuntasia -some consider it to be a form of obliqua. My bulbs flower almost a month later than my obliqua and have distinctly curly leaves.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837287907_9329c86d00_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836447653_e4e83cfc39_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria minima -A small snowmelt species. The yellow flower develops orange tips when pollinated.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837285752_cdee0fdb38_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836444748_cfcc20065c_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria whittallii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836989801_e6c81b8647_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria ehrhartii
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836983196_2db9c6f5af_o_d.jpg)
Fritillaria epirotica -a dwarf, dumpy species with curled glaucous foliage and large bells.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49836984001_5736f40d8c_o_d.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49837282957_35d569cb61_o_d.jpg)
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nice range of Frits Steve. I can grow only F.meleagris , pallidiflora and F.camchatka.
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Very nice plants, Steve. Some are quite dramatic looking, like F.affinis var tristis.
Like kris I have only a few Fritillarias. F.pallidiflora grows well here in open ground in heavy clay, even increases. F.meleagris and F.camschatcensis grow also well, and I'm happy that F.grandiflora has settled and grows well (but hasn't increased yet). It is so big. :)
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Many thanks Kris and Leena.
Apparently pallidiflora grows wild in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and North-west China (Xinjiang). These areas have a long cold continental winter with snow cover; similar to your conditions. Other species from there include walujewii and verticillata which should grow in your conditions (with good drainage and a gentle drying over the Summer). Both Of these species are available commercially and sometimes as seed. Tortifolia and yuminensis also grow in cold continental conditions in the NW of Xinjiang but are hard to get hold of.
The other group worth trying are some of the Turkish snowmelt species such as alburyana, aurea and minima as well as armena, caucasica and the crassifolia group. These will need some cover over the Summer so that they don’t get too wet in dormancy.
Surprisingly some of the semi-desert species such as bucharica, stenanthera and gibbosa might be worth a try if seed-raised and then introduced as semi-adult bulbs. These would need planted in very well-drained soil. Growth appears after snow-melt as temperatures warm in the Spring. Once the plants became dormant in early Summer they should be lifted and stored dry at room temperature before being replanted in the late Autumn -just before significant frost and snow return.
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Fritillaria pallidiflora has been established in my garden for a few years.
[attachimg=1]
Last year's seedlings in their second year.
[attachimg=2]
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My first experience with Fritillaria stribrnyi still flowering due to cold May
[attachimg=1]
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Fritillara camschatcensis aurea - seems growing better after transplanted in a shady position
Gerd
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Thank you Steve for the tips of which species to try. :) I will try them from the next seed exchange.
Here is my F.pallidiflora, finishing flowering now. I have grown this from seeds more than ten years ago, and it grows well even in clay soil.
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I was surprised yesterday when I took off my summer protection for my Fritillaria collection. I had done 99% of my repotting early because I thought we might have been in for a long hot summer and I did not want them to get hotter than necessary. So none of my pots or plunges have had any water for over two months. The plunges were overdue some water. The first two pictures show my summer protection. I said 99% because I had a few left to do but I had missed a pot of two year old seedlings that came off a plant of Fritillaria purdyi x biflora (pictured below). So I quite happily tipped the pot out and picked the small bulbs out. The picture below shows what came out of a 7cm pot. The surprise can be seen in the next picture of just two of the bulbs. Well over 50% had already started to grow new roots. In a totally dry potting mix! So water cannot have been the trigger to initiate new root growth, but we have had some unseasonably cool night-time temperatures - quite a few below 10c and even as low as 4c. This may be what triggered them.
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Interesting to see this Colin. Drimia, Haemanthus & Merendera also respond to lower night temperatures rather than moisture as the primary trigger, and their first flowers often emerge when pots are still bone-dry.