Fritillaria 2010

[Gerry Webster]

This weekend in flower,
Fritillaria grandiflora ( i hope ), 3-years old seedlings

My frits received as F. grandiflora from Russia blooms now, too. But what is "grandiflora"? Is it kotschyana subsp. grandiflora or another?
Janis

I think most of the typically dark F. grandiflora in the UK come (via Martin Rix)  from the Moscow Botanic Garden. In the old Flora of the USSR (Leningrad 1935) F. grandiflora is recognised as a distinct species. However, a few years ago Bob Wallis collected a form S of Lerik in Azerbaijan (the type locality) with green & brown flowers which resembles F. kotschyana. Moreover, Bob told me that the green & brown form crops up in  seedlings from the dark, Lerik form (see Fritillaria no 17, Autumn 2005)  

[Regelian]

A couple of Fritillaria imperialis are now open.  Both of these are new, although i only ordered the selection 'Striped Beauty', but one of the bulbs was a forma lutea.  I've pollinated the flowers with F. raddeana, so the fingers are firmly crossed.

[Lesley Cox]

Wim, that is a superb stem of F. persica and far from "common," here at least.

My F. grandiflora which was supplied from Tasmania as "from a Rix collection" is twice as large in flower as the flowered seedlings of F kotschyana ssp grandiflora, which don't seem any bigger than, say, pontica or others of similar size. I have a picture of the former but not the latter. Both are firmly underground at the moment though. The height of the flower in the picture is almost 6cms and the stems elongates as it matures.

[Janis Ruksans]

A couple of Fritillaria imperialis are now open.  Both of these are new, although i only ordered the selection 'Striped Beauty', but one of the bulbs was a forma lutea.  I've pollinated the flowers with F. raddeana, so the fingers are firmly crossed.

I saw few hybrids with raddeana at some flower show in Holland many years ago, but I nothing hear about them later. They really looked intermediate, with smaller flowers than in imperialis but I never tried such crosses by myself.
Janis

[Ragged Robin]

Wim, that is a superb stem of F. persica and far from "common," here at least.

Not common in the Alps either!  Having seen your great photo Wim I'm looking forward to seeing my 'one and only' F. persica in flower but it's still in leaf!!!!!!!

[Ragged Robin]

A pair pictures of another yellow Caucasian - F. collina, it is not so easy outside

Your yellow Caucasian Frit is such a lovely colour and marking, Janis, and Fritillaria kotschyana Craigton Max - raised by Ian Young - is - fabulous

[Regelian]

A couple of Fritillaria imperialis are now open.  Both of these are new, although i only ordered the selection 'Striped Beauty', but one of the bulbs was a forma lutea.  I've pollinated the flowers with F. raddeana, so the fingers are firmly crossed.

I saw few hybrids with raddeana at some flower show in Holland many years ago, but I nothing hear about them later. They really looked intermediate, with smaller flowers than in imperialis but I never tried such crosses by myself.
Janis

Janis,

Luit pictured a few of the new hybrids in the 'Lisse' thread at

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4969.90

They look quite nice, but, as they were bred for the flower trade, rather than garden, they may be less adaptable.  In any case, I'll let you all know in about 5-6 years!

[Lesley Cox]

 and Fritillaria kotschyana Craigton Max - raised by Ian Young - is - fabulous

Anything raised by Ian Young is fabulous Robin. Look at the great job he's done with Maggi.

[Gerry Webster]

Fritillaria whittallii

Received as F. gussichiae from a UK supplier

[Gerry Webster]

Fritillaria graeca

From Frit Group seed - received as F. pontica var. substipelata.

I think this is F. graeca subsp. thessala

[Lesley Cox]

Gerry, it's always disappointing to get the wrong thing but your whittallii is very refined and elegant.

[Gerry Webster]

Gerry, it's always disappointing to get the wrong thing but your whittallii is very refined and elegant.

I agree Lesley, so I'm not too disappointed.

[Oron Peri]

Fritillaria acmopetala is in bloom right now in the area of Antalya, it seems there aren't two flowers that looks a like, some elongated, darker, more or less reddish in color

[Gerry Webster]

Fritillaria acmopetala is in bloom right now in the area of Antalya, it seems there aren't two flowers that looks a like, some elongated, darker, more or less reddish in color

Oron - thanks for showing these in the wild. Since F. acmopetala is easy to grow & relatively common in cultivation it tends to be overlooked. In my view, it is one of the most beautiful frits.

[Janis Ruksans]

Fritillaria acmopetala is in bloom right now in the area of Antalya, it seems there aren't two flowers that looks a like, some elongated, darker, more or less reddish in color

Oron - thanks for showing these in the wild. Since F. acmopetala is easy to grow & relatively common in cultivation it tends to be overlooked. In my view, it is one of the most beautiful frits.

I agree, it is very nice, and most important - easy in cultivation species. I never saw it in wild in blooming time, so very surprised for its great variability. Especially beautiful is the plant on the second picture. My general impression about acopetala was based on few clones which superficially is quite similar by flower differing in height and blooming time only, so I didn't give to it great atention. Thanks Oron, for showing how nice they can be.
Janis