Fritillaria is a genus of a perennial flowering herbaceous bulb. The plant belongs to the lily family and is also classified as a bulbous plant, which means that it grows and dies back to an underground bulb year by year.
The plant is native to the Northern hemisphere in places where the temperature is mild, such as North Africa, the Middle East, Western North America, and the Mediterranean region.
The plant’s scientific name is “Fritillaria meleagris” and its common name is pronounced [frit-il-AR-ee-uh mel-EE-uh-gris].
However, it goes by a variety of common names, including snake’s head, drooping tulips, chequered lily, chess flower, guinea flower, frog-cup, and Lazarus bell.
Keep on reading for a brief Fritillaria Bulb care guide:
Fritillaria Bulb Care
Size & Growth
Different species of fritillaria grow to different sizes and lengths. However, the most common one (Fritillaria meleagris) usually grows up to reach anywhere between 14” to 16” inches tall (35 to 40 cm).
Flowering and Fragrance
At full maturity, the plant grows to develop a checkered appearance with bell-shaped flowers that hang loosely from a thin stem, with colors that range from dark red and white to purple.
The flowers typically bloom during the spring season. However, its blooming time is shorter than some other plants because it remains dormant during the rest of the year, including the summer.
Despite having a rather pleasing look, fritillaria is known for having a relatively nasty or disagreeable smell. In fact, the plant’s scent is bad enough that some call it “stick bells”.
The nasty smell of the flower varies from one species to another with some of them being extremely bad that they have a smell similar to pet droppings.
Light & Temperature
Fritillaria is one of the simple plants when it comes to sunlight and shade requirements. Luckily, the plant does pretty well when exposed to full sunlight or a slight shade, so you don’t have to worry about its placement in an open garden.
It can also be grown under deciduous trees, which helps it stay shaded and protected from the scorching sun during the plant’s dormancy in the summer.
As for the temperature, the plant is pretty hardy and can survive a relatively cold temperature of about 15° degrees Fahrenheit (-10° degrees Celsius). The plant is ideally planted in gardens in the USDA zones 5A all the way to 8B
Watering and Feeding
Fritillaria doesn’t require any special treatment when it comes to feeding, although it always gives more vibrant results when the soil is mulched and covered with tomato fertilizer in the early spring. The soil of the plant should be regularly irrigated about once a week.
Soil & Transplanting
Fritillaria should be kept in free draining soil and never in a waterlogged one to protect the plant from rotting and drowning.
Grooming And Maintenance
Fritillaria doesn’t require special grooming and maintenance, as the foliage of the plant dies down completely if the bulbs are left undisturbed. Also, avoid cutting the grass around the plant until the fritillaria dies down completely.
How To Propagate Fritillaria Bulb
There are two ways to propagate a fritillaria bulb, and the easiest one is through germinating the plant’s seed. To do that, all you need to do is sow them under glass during the fall season.
Once the seeds start to germinate, allow them to grow for about 2 years then plant them in soil.
Split some of the clumps of the plant off late in the summer and pot them on the tiny vegetative bulbils of the bulb.
Fritillaria Bulb Pests Or Diseases
When it comes to pests and diseases, you should know that Fritillaria is a pretty fragile plant and can suffer from various diseases, whether they’re due to infections or other problems. Here’s a quick look at some of the most common Fritillaria bulb diseases and what they cause:
- Bulbs Rot: The roots of the plant become decayed and rotted with obvious discoloration in specific spots, often due to species of the fungus Botryotinia.
- Weevils: These tiny beetle-like bugs with a large snout that attack the plants. The most common symptoms of weevils infestation are the chewed appearance and yellow leaves.
- Leaf Spots: This condition is caused by a wide range of bacteria and fungi that can attack the plant, which causes the plant leaves to turn yellowish and drop prematurely.
- Leaf Rust: Similar to the leaf spots but will also show powdery spots all over the leaves.
Suggested Fritillaria Bulb Uses
Fritillaria Bulb is planted mainly for decorative purposes, thanks to its beautiful blooming flowers that resemble lilies.
Medicinally, the plant has been used for a variety of purposes, as it’s claimed to be a treatment for cough symptoms as well as lung and respiratory disorders. It’s also postulated that the plant can be used as a treatment for some types of cancer.