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New Bulb Seed List~Part Two

© Gary Buckley

Growing from seed may seem like an unassailable challenge to the novice however many of the species listed here germinate freely and quickly and there are some important advantages in raising a batch of plants from scratch.

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FRITILLARIA:

The celebrity genus amongst dwarf bulb enthusiasts at present, probably because there are so many species being brought in cultivation now. Fascinating plants with much to teach to the enthusiast on the art of growing, enjoying and understanding wild species. Always rewarding - whether it's a pot of tiny yellow flowered F. carica or a group of tall and elegant F whittallii.

FRITILLARIA ARGOLICA Poros, Argolida, Greece. Identified as a hybrid or an intergrade between F. graeca & F. rhodokanakis. Collected on the adjacent island to the latter and looks closer to it though the habitats don't match. Warm brown bells edged yellow and striped in green. See SRGC's The Rock Garden, June 2002, p. 355. Superb! $7.00

FRITILLARIA BITHYNICA Mt Ambelos, Samos, Greece. 800m Essentially a Turkish native this species crosses over into Greek territory here and possibly Chios or maybe that's F. peliniae ? Delightful plant with long elegant bells in a bloomy yellow-green followed by strongly winged capsules. This island race is not well known in cultivation. $7.00

FRITILLARIA CARICA Mt. Ambelos, Samos, Greece. 1000m Another Turkish native finding home in the Greek Islands. Occupies higher more exposed areas on the same mountain as the aforementioned F. bithynica. This population is known for its clear yellow bells and dark nectaries and robust constitution. See the previously cited photo-essay in the SRGC p.351 to get a handle on what this species looks like. $7.00

FRITILLARIA CARCIA Honaz Dag, Denizli, Turkey. 1500m Another dainty form from one of the great bulb 'hotspots' on mainland Turkey. Could range from greenish yellow to brownish yellow with grey-green leaves. $9.00

FRITILLARIA CARCIA ssp SERPENTICOLA Dirmil Pass, Turkey. 1200m Placed as a subspecies of F. carica and differentiated from it by its more widely flaring bells always in clear to rusty yellow. Only found in the area around Altinyala but appears to be related to the proposed named F. saldaensis further to the north east. $8.00

FRITILLARIA CONICA Pylos, Messenia, Greece. 100m Bright yellow flowered species distinguishable by its very cone-shaped bells on quite tall stems, glossy green leaves. Again check the luscious photo, p.350 of the SRGC's The Garden, June 2002. Very local in the wild but is fairly easy going in cultivation. $9.00

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