Products › Autumn planted bulbs to flower in the Spring › Fritillaria › Fritillaria michailovskyi

These are endemic to Turkey and were only re-discovered in the 1970s having been first idenitified in 1904, and then lost.  They grow in screes, earthy slopes and alpine meadows from 6500 to 10,000 ft.  The plant grows to 6" (18cm) with a few erect, grey-green leaves alternating up the stem.  It carried umbels of up to 4 or more bicoloured bell-shaped flowers, with deep brown-purple shoulders and a golden hem. It is not difficult to grow, planted 4" (10cm) deep, in a gritty soil in the sun or a lightly shaded position. Leave the bulb undisturbed until you want to harvest the bulblets, as disturbance may prevent flowering for a season.

Planting instructions

Cover the bulb with 3" (7cm) of gritty earth in a well-drained shady position, 3" (10cm) apart.   The plant increases vegetatively through its many bulblets, but the bulb should be left undisturbed for several years, as any disturbance will disrupt flowering for a season.  The flower is a deep maroon with a golden hem and stands to about 6" (18cm), flowering in May.