Fritillaria camschatcensis
Kamchatka fritillary
A bulbous perennial, 20-40cm tall, with whorls of shiny green linear-lanceolate leaves around the stem. Clusters of slightly nodding bell-shaped blooms, are a dramatic dark purple-black with contrasting yellow anthers, usually 3 per stem, in late spring early summer
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drained, Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Purple | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Purple | Green | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or East–facing or North–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Ornamental bulbs - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Fritillaria are bulbous herbaceous perennials with lance-shaped or linear leaves and nodding bell-shaped or bowl-shaped flowers that may be solitary or in racemes or umbels
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Grows well in most fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soils, for a full sun location the soil needs to be damp through the summer. Handle the fragile bulbs carefully and plant at four times own depth
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown in pots in a cold frame in autumn. Needs exposure to winter cold for germination in spring. Division of offsets can be done in late summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs and lily beetle
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.