Fritillaria: a Study

One of my very favorite spring flowers—and a big obsession of mine—is the Fritillaria. These incredibly varied flowers grow in both huge and tiny packages (we’re talking anywhere from 5" to 36" tall), with colors ranging from purple to orange, white/green, and even a few shades of yellow. Within the genus Fritillaria, there are over 100 reported species, and each one is so special. They follow a bulb lifestyle—planted in fall to emerge in spring—and with the right climate, they can continue to multiply.

Last season, I was lucky enough to find and design with several different varieties, and one of my favorite parts of this experience was noticing the subtle differences between each species. Below are photos and small descriptions of each variety, along with a few finished designs. Most of these stems were imported from Holland, where they seem to be grown most prolifically for sale, but depending on your area, you may also find locally grown cuts in early spring.

Here are some Fritillaria species with photos and a brief description:

Fritillaria acmopetala –

Single stem but with a large, bell-shaped flowers (larger then your traitional purple checkered frit) with dark purple stripes, thin strait leaves

Fritillaria pallidiflora –

Tall stems with several chartreuse, bell-shaped flowers per stem grouped at the top of each stem, thick leaves. 

Fritillaria hermonis amana –

Slender, bell-shaped blooms in chartreuse with the lightest hint of purple checkering, thin strait leaves, the flowers stay more closed up / downward facing 

Fritillaria sewerzowii ‘Green Eyes’ –

Large, tall stems with multiple florets running up the stem; lime green flowers.

Fritillaria sewerzowii ‘Brown’ –

Large, tall stems with multiple florets running up the stem; brown flowers with a slight green/yellow tint.

Fritillaria meleagris ‘Alba’ –

Small, bell-shaped flowers (one per stem), white to light green with a faintly checkered pattern, very yellow centers, curly leaves, and petals tend to curve out as they age. 

Fritillaria michailovskyi – 

Tiny, bell-shaped flowers (one or two per stem) on very short (6"), thick stems with broad, non-curly leaves; yellow blooms with purple at the tip of each bell, featuring a checkered pattern.

*Please send me an email if I have mis-labled any of these species! I am going off of photos and the sellers ID, so error is always possible