Fritillaria biflora 'Martha Roderick'

RHS Plant Profile

black fritillary 'Martha Roderick'

RHS 1999

Synonyms

Fritillaria 'Martha Roderick'

Alpine Rockery Conservatory Greenhouse Bulbs

'Martha Roderick' is a bulbous perennial to 30cm tall, with glossy lance-shaped leaves and deep reddish-purple, bell-shaped flowers, each tepal white in the outer half, opening in early spring

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0-0.1 metre
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: 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): H4

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well-drained soil and full sun, with shelter from rain. Ideal to grow in a cold greenhouse or bulb frame in order to keep bulbs almost dry when dormant. Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added grit and leaf mould

Propagation

Propagate by seed in autumn in a cold frame. Expose to winter cold until germination in spring, then transfer to a cold greenhouse. Divide offsets in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and lily beetle

Diseases

Generally disease-free