A square yellow fritillary with red speckling for a shadier, damp spot.
Order Code: 85-36
Fritillaria pallidiflora
Native to the mountains between Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and China, growing in damp meadows and sub alpines slopes that never dry out. In China they are grown in ridges, like potatoes, for medicinal purposes. The glaucous leaves are unusually broad for a fritillary at the base and lance-shaped higher up. 6 or 8 pale buttery-yellow, square-ish nodding flowers about 1 ¾” (4cm) long are held on a stem 12-18” (30-45cm) tall, though the stem often falls horizontal with just the final third erect. They are faintly tessellated with reddish brown, while the insides are lightly speckled with light red. They are slow to increase for a year or two, but once settled they flower regularly. They like a semi-shaded bed in humus rich soil, and unlike many other fritillaries, they need soil that remains moist through the summer. After a few seasons, these fritillaries might need lifting and splitting, as the large bulbs become congested and may fail to flower.
Planting instructions
Plant in rich, peaty soil perhaps in a raised bed (for easier viewing). Plant in a site sheltered from wind about 4” (10cm) deep in good soil.
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