Fritillaria raddeana

RHS Plant Profile
Radde’s fritillary

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Other common names

dwarf crown imperial

Bulbs
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A bulbous perennial, to 60cm tall, with alternate, glossy, slender, pale green leaves to 15cm long, borne on erect stems. In early spring, greenish-cream or pale yellow, broadly bell-shaped, nodding flowers are borne in umbels of 5 or 6, occasionally to 20, and topped with leaf-like bracts

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
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
Plant Range
Iran, Turkmenistan, West Himalaya

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows in a range of conditions from fertile well-drained soils in full sun to humus-rich, moisture-retentive soils in full sun or light shade. Handle the fragile bulbs carefully and plant at four times own depth

Propagation

Propagate by division of offsets in late summer; propagate by seed in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Rock garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and lily beetle

Diseases

Generally disease-free