I grow a wide range of alpines and dwarf bulbs but I have a special interest in fritillaries. I love the subtle colours and tones of the bells and am fascinated by the variation of form, shape and colour that exist within many species in cultivation and in the wild. My collection has increased over the years as I try to keep as many species and varieties as I can. Initially I wanted to grow as many species as possible, but now I also look out for good and different forms of all species, however common.

Most fritillaries are reasonably easy to grow but some varieties can pose a real challenge. Sometimes you think you have mastered their cultivation only to find that in a bad year, you can lose most or the whole of a variety. A plant that has been thriving for many years can suddenly start to go back for no obvious reason. We should, however, endeavour to grow and propagate only from healthy stock and pay attention to hygiene when dealing with plants.

Climate

There are nearly 200 different distinct fritillaries and not all of them will grow in a particular climate. So it is important to find the better performers and concentrate on growing these well. The cold climate in Scotland is well suited to some species such as F. minima, F.alburyana and F. minuta.These snowmelt species are not that difficult to grow but they tax our skills getting them to flower regularly. They require a long cold spell followed by a sudden warm spring to flower well. Growers down South have to resort to refrigerating their plants from September to January. However they are at an advantage with plants that are not totally hardy such as F. liliacea, F. biflora and other coastal American species. The many species of fritillaries grow over a wide range of habitats. It is thus remarkable that most will take approximately the same treatment in cultivation. Most fritillaries, however, are killed by wet rather than cold. It is surprising how many species will grow outside if they are given perfect drainage. Even species such as F. stenanthera, F. aurea and F. recurva have survived many years totally unprotected on my raised scree bed in full sun.

Sowing

This is an annual routine. My collection is constantly growing as I sow between 50-60 different fritillaries every year. These come from my own seeds, from the Fritillaria Group and other alpine societies or from commercial seed producers and collectors. I also still buy bulbs and there are a certain number of swaps that take place every year.

You have to be patient as it will be many years before results are obtained but if you sow some seeds every year, you will not feel the long wait because after a few years, there will be some plants flowering for their first time every year.

I used to sow as soon as the seeds were ripe and dry between April and July but in recent years, partly due to lack of time, I have been storing them to sow later between September and October. Seeds from other sources usually arrive later and are sown as soon as possible. The ideal window seems to be mid September to mid October. Seeds sown after the turn of the year do not germinate reliably and most will wait another year. During this long wait there is a risk that the pots may dry out or worse, the seeds may rot due to over watering. If the seeds arrive too late, it is probably best to store them in an airtight container in the fridge and sow them in the autumn. I use a 1:2:1 mix of JI No. 3, peat and fine grit (see compost below) and clean plastic pots for sowing. Everyone has his or her own special mix that works so I think this is not very critical. After sowing, the pots are placed in a shaded frame to protect them from excessive rain but if space is short, most of them can be left outside totally unprotected. Once germination starts, however, it is best to give them plenty of light and to keep them frost free so they can grow away without any check. I find that in some species damping off can be a problem, especially if seeds are sown too thickly. Fritillaries of the Rhinopetalum group e.g. F. gibbosa and F. karelinii and other species that germinate early e.g. F.pluriflora, when the weather can be dank, can also sometimes be affected. The germination is usually quite good for these species but a significant proportion can be lost. I now water the susceptible species with a fungicide as soon as germination has taken place. I use liquid copper fungicide that comes in sachets and needs to be diluted before use. I understand that this will no longer be available. Cheshunt compound is an alternative.

Compost

There are many different types of compost that are suitable. I use a 1:1:1 mix of JI no. 3, peat/cambark, and coarse grit 3-5 mm for almost everything I grow. For seeds, I use finer grit and add an extra part of peat. I find the extra peat results in improved germination, possibly due to a lesser likelihood of the compost drying out. For bulbs, I add half a part of super coarse perlite. Perlite is expanded volcanic rock and has many good properties. It is light, opens up the compost, provides extra drainage and holds moisture. The only disadvantage is its white colour, which can be a problem, as the particles look similar to fritillaria bulblets or rice grains. To get round this, I do not use perlite in my seed compost and for bulbs, I sandwich the rice growers between two layers of sharp sand, which makes them easier to separate with a strainer at repotting time.

Growing

Once growth is evident, I start watering and feeding, this being proportional to the amount of top growth. In general I feed about once every week. I used to start with a 2:1:1 (N:P:K) fertiliser at the beginning with high potash (tomato feed) later in the season to help flowering but now for practicality I use Phostrogen at half strength throughout the growing season. Phostrogen has a significant potash content (N:P:K = 14:10:27) and I have not noticed any difference in performance following its use. I use a diluter connected to a hose to make the task of feeding easier. Aphids have to be watched for constantly. Grey mould or botrytis can be a problem in muggy spells. One has to be vigilant and spray promptly. I use liquid derris as insecticide and Supercarb as fungicide but there are many other brands on the market that are equally effective. I allow the plants to set seeds naturally and hand pollinate the desirable ones. Once pollinated, the plants will grow for longer and I feed them regularly so that the setting of seeds does not weaken them.

Repotting

If I had unlimited time, I would prefer to repot every year. It is very satisfying to tip a pot to examine the bulbs. It gives you a great thrill if they have increased in number or size although an empty pot can be very frustrating particularly if it is a desirable species. The number and size of the bulbs are noted at the back of the label. I have a full time job and therefore have to adopt a pragmatic approach. I repot annually as many of the special ones as I have time for, including some of the rice growers although these tend to remain in the same pot for at least 2 years. Quite a few are left for 3-4 years before repotting but I make sure that they are fed regularly in the growing season. If the bulbs are not repotted, this is also noted on the label. The rice growers probably do better if not disturbed too often as long as they are fed regularly during the growing season. Repotting rice growers also takes longer which is another good reason to do it less frequently.

Repotting takes place between July and September. Once bulbs are repotted, the pots are not allowed to get completely dry. Some are grown in clay pots plunged in a bulb frame. I only use clay pots for the special ones or if showing might be a possible option. There is no doubt that future management is easier if they are grown in clay pots. I use hand damp compost when repotting and as long as the plunge is kept damp, the early rooters can start growing.

Most of my fritillaries however, are grown in plastic pots. There is less room for mistakes than when growing in clay pots, but as long as the watering is controlled, I find them reasonably easy to manage. After repotting, the pots are given a light watering now and then to prevent complete drying.

My first thorough watering of all pots is in October, and then they are kept just damp until there is evidence of top growth, when watering and feeding is resumed.

Dormancy

This is an important period in the bulbs' lives. They can be dormant for many months and mismanagement at this stage could be disastrous. Most prefer to be kept on the dry side but not desiccated, the only exception being mature bulbs of the Rhinopetalum group which are kept completely dry during their dormancy under the staging. In general, bulbs in plastic pots are stored under the staging where they are given a watering about once every month depending on the season. If they are grown in clay pots that are plunged in a frame, the plunge is watered thoroughly about once a month. It is probably wise to shade the frame in excessively hot spells. Many commercial growers remove the bulbs as soon as they go dormant and store them in dry or slightly damp perlite or vermiculite (the dampness depending on species) in thin plastic bags in a shed. This ensures a controlled degree of moisture and is a reliable way to minimise losses during dormancy but if you have a large collection it is a lot of work. I use this method with some of the most precious bulbs.

Selecting

The main reason I grow from seeds is to look at the diversity of forms at flowering time. Rarely does one get a pot of identical specimens. If this happens to be the case and it is a good form, it is a bonus. However the real thrill is selecting a good clone among a group of ordinary ones and bulking it up. Once you have selected a particularly good form, you should make every attempt to propagate it (and distribute it). This is when your skills at vegetative propagation come into play. Those forming rice or small bulblets present no problem but breaking the bulb in two halves or slicing into 8 or more segments is more risky. The excellent article by Joy Bishop in the Fritillaria Group issue No. 9 explains this in detail. I have not yet had the courage to slice my fritillaria bulb into 8 segments (I might try it this year) but I have now been splitting bulbs in two for some years with very good results. Cleanliness is of the utmost importance to make sure the cut surfaces are not contaminated.

Criteria

While some varieties are more uniform than others, nearly all species have a certain amount of variation if grown from seeds. Growing from seeds allows you to select the good and different forms to grow on and propagate. Every year I still sow seeds of species such as F. pinardii, F. crassifolia, F. affinis etc. Even the commonly available F. michailovskyi is worth growing from seeds as you can get some lovely forms with marked contrast between the brown and yellow. Most people recognise good forms instantly when they see them. The visual appeal is an important factor; i.e. the height, form, shape or colour but other criteria are also significant in the long term. Resistance to disease, constitution, early or late appearance and whether they multiply quickly or tolerate garden conditions are other important considerations. Preferences will vary from one individual to another, so select the forms you like as long as the plant is healthy. If it is of weak constitution, shows any signs of disease or virus, dispose of it. It is the nature of people that we want something different. If the flower colour is brown, we want it yellow or white, if it is tall we want it dwarf and vice versa. What is certain is that if something is different or scarce and attractive, it will be sought after.

Separating a selected plant can be tricky especially if the pot has many plants flowering at the same time. I use a small plastic stick with a rounded end and push it in the pot beside the bulb at a predefined position (e.g. north-east in relation to the label). At repotting time, one has to be careful to keep the stick in position.This method works well for me but the only sure way is to separate the bulbs singly, batch them and grow them on. As usual, space becomes the limiting factor. However, not all of them need to be separated and it is useful to have a pot of unidentical plants to show the variation within a species and this can be shown in the 'bulbs from seed' class.

People who explore fritillaries in the wild will tell you there is sometimes no clear distinction between species. Some of the different forms may be intermediates between species. Even among distinct species, there is a great deal of variation. Robust forms of many species seem to appear from time to time in cultivation and at one time some e.g. F. euboeica, F. forbesii, F. messanensis, F. obliqua, F. rhodocanakis etc., were being offered as var. robusta which of course is an invalid name. I shall describe the variation within some species and mention the forms I grow or know of, that are worth seeking out. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, as I am sure there are many other good selections that are being grown by the band of enthusiastic fritillary growers.

Variations and selected forms

F. acmopetala ssp. wendelboi is a selection with square-shouldered, flared flowers on shorter stems. The flowers are the same size as the type species, which makes the plant worth growing. However the species itself is quite variable and there are some very fine dark forms from SE Turkey. 'Furse Form' is a form with stronger mahogany inner tepals that contrast well with the jade green outer tepals. I have a pure yellow flowered plant grown from SRGC seeds sown in 1995. Only one of the batch was yellow. This has the typical flower shape on 25-30cm stems and flowered for the first time in 2000. It produces bulbils, so in time I should hopefully be able to bulk it up.

F. affinis 'Sunray' (A.M. 2002) is a very attractive yellowish or more accurately intense greenish yellow that appeared from bulbs bought blind in 1981 at a SRGC discussion week-end.This is reputedly the same as 'Limelight' or 'Lime Green', which are selections of F. affinis sometimes offered in bulb catalogues.'Vancouver Island' is dainty with darker, smaller bells. E affinis var. tristulis (A.M. 1998) and 'Wayne Roderick' are different to the normal type. They both have pointed tepals and square shoulders with prominent angular nectaries. Although considered by some to be the same, they are distinct with F. a. tristulis having darker flowers and minimal green chequering and Ea. 'Wayne Roderick' being taller and stronger growing.There is also a nice 'Dwarf Form' with up to 3 tessellated bells per stem and a 'Giant Form' over 100cm tall.There is a lot of variation in the American species of fritillaries.Two articles, FRITILLARIA ODYSSEY in AGS 247 p69-71 and AGS 248 p!78-191 by Dr Sylvia Martinelli describe this in details.

F. assyriaca. An easy species.The variety 'melantbera' has unusual black anthers.

F. atropurpurea can be seen in all shades from pale straw to green to dark brown in the wild.

F. aurea. F.C.C. 1989, but this is a variable species. I love the ones with large bells on short stems. There is a variety known as 'Large Form' with very large flowers and dark tessellation on stems 10-15cm tall.This is now becoming more readily available and quite often seen at shows. The registered clone 'Golden Flag' has narrow tepals that flare outwards but it is not a favourite of mine.

F. biflora is quite variable from pale (close to Eagrestis) to dark forms 'chocolate bells' (close to E gray ana). E biflora var. ineziana is a striking variety with brown flowers and a conspicuous creamy white stripe on each tepal that does not flare out at the tip. It is very rare in the wild with a very restricted locality. 'Martha Roderick' (A.M. 1990), is disputed as being a variety of E biflora, due to the appearance of the bulb, it is possibly E grayana. However, it has attractive and distinctive flowers; to quote: "The flowers themselves are chocolate brown, usually with a greenish overlay, with a large offwhite patch covering a quarter of each segment". 'Gainsborough' (P.C. 2000) is a green-striped clone with 2cm long nodding flowers.

F. bithynica is a confusing species with many variations .The common form has greeny or yellow-green flowers but there are some good dwarf pure yellow forms that are worth searching for.These may not be true Ebithynica as the capsules are wingless.

F. bucharica is one of the easiest of the Rhinopetalum frits and can be quite a strong grower usually with several flowers on 20cm stems as in the selected clone 'Nurek Giant'. However there is a smaller more dainty form around. I struggle with it as it is not so robust, but I have seen good potfuls of this at shows. In the wild, there is great variation and some are named after the sites where they grow, e.g. from 'Hodji-obi-Garm' village, vigorous and floriferous and 'Sangardak' valley, dwarfer with fewer flowers.

F. camschatcensis. The type species is quite a robust garden plant.There is a small less vigorous form only 15cm high.'Flore plena', a deeply coloured purple-black form with flowers having 12-15 tepals is quite attractive if you like double flowers.There are also 2 yellow forms. EC. alpina aurea which is an extremely attractive dwarf (less than 15cm) high altitude form from Japan and E c. var flavescens or lutea which is taller (20-30cm tall) and similar in all respects to the type plant except for the colour, which is lime yellow.The latter does well for me outside.This is one of the latest flowering fritillaries. A more green form rather than the usual black-purple colour is also available. Some clones are named after the sites where they grow, e.g. 'Tomari' (south part of Sakhalin Island) which is a tall growing form and 'Amur' river, which has larger flowers on shorter stems. This species is unique in being native to both eastern Asia as well as to western North America. The 'Alaskan' form is quite elegant with flowers of a dark greeny-brown colour.The raceme of flowers is compact, giving the plant a very neat appearance.

F. carica. This dwarf species can be variable with greenish yellow to brownish yellow flowers but there are some with striking chrome yellow flowers with straight or flared tepals. E carica brown ('brun') is a selection with distinct dark brown markings on the edge of the tepals. A 'Tall Form' has flowers on 25-30cm stems and flowers later. It looks good in a pot with several flowering plants but it would probably succeed outside. E carica subsp. serpenticofa is a lovely form which flowers very early and therefore not often seen at shows. Although the same yellow colour (sometimes strongly tinted with red) as carica, this form is quite different, being more conical and it is doubtful whether it is a subspecies of E carica or whether it is a species in its own right, i.e.F.serpenticola.

F. caucasica. With me, this is one of the earliest flowering species. As I write (mid February), some are already in flower. A selected larger form, more strongly growing with up to 3 flowers per stem, is in cultivation and may well succeed outside.

F. cirrhosa. Raising from seeds has given rise to many colour variations although they are all rather tall and may need some support. The brown and green forms are freely available, but a good deep yellow form, var.przewalskii is available.

F. conica has conical, bright yellow flowers on short stems. It seems quite uniform although a form grown under Martin Rix's collection number 485 has flowers that are more open. I have not seen this in cultivation or in bulb catalogues.

F. crassifolia is so variable that it has been classified into 4 subspecies.The most easily available subspecies are ssps. crassifolia and kurdica that show great variation in the wild and in cultivation. One nursery is offering several named clones of F. crassifolia ssp. kurdica after the sites where they were collected, e.g.'Talish Strain','Aragats','Bitschenag', 'Ordubad' and 'Turkish Glow'.There are yellowish forms of E c. ssp. crassifolia but the yellow form of EC. ssp.kurdica is specially attractive but scarce.There are also some good solid plum colour forms and some fine, rich red forms of E c. ssp. kurdica. If you grow these from seeds, you will get great variation in form, shape and flower and you can select the forms you like to grow on. E c. ssp. hakkariensis is smaller and very dainty.The forms I have seen seem to vary slightly. The choicest of course is F. c. ssp. poluninii. This is something special, worth all the care. The flowers are wide-open and pure white with brown veining. Unfortunately the plants do not produce bulbils or rice but they will set seeds if hand pollinated although germination is very erratic.This is one of the rarest and most desirable of all fritillaries.

F. davisii. Small species well suited to pot culture but there is some variation in size and flower colour, which is principally brown with varying amount of green chequering. The dwarf forms with dark chocolate flowers produce a stunning display in a well-filled pan.

F. drenovskii. Two different forms exist in cultivation. The more common form is robust and will probably succeed outside although I have not tried it.The other form is more dainty, only 10-15cm high with reddish brown bells and a yellow stripe to each tepal. It is more suited to pot cultivation under glass

F. ehrhartii. This species with relatively large yellow-tipped, grape-black bells is not often seen. A lovely clear-yellow clone is in cultivation but very rare. I am growing seedlings from the yellow flowered clone but only less than 1% will turn out to be yellow. So my chances are very slim but back crossing (when and if they reach flowering size) might increase the likelihood of yellow forms appearing.

F. epirotica is a delightful dwarf but not readily available. In the wild, plants have flowers that show a wide colour variation. 'EKB 3434' is a superb plant collected by Edward K Balls on Mt. Smolikas in Northern Greece in 1937.Although reported to be still in cultivation, I have not seen it.

F.gibbosa. The colour can vary from pale to deep pink or even brick red or apricot. There is a very dwarf form that I am growing from seeds. I shall have to wait until it flowers to see how dwarf it is. Sounds exciting.

F.glauca. 'Sunray' is a registered variety with golden yellow hanging bells with green stripes outside and reddish streaking inside. The flowers are perhaps a little more open than the typical form.There is some doubt as to whether it is a variety of

F. glauca.The bulb is not right for F. glauca but not typical F. affinis either (see F. affinis 'Sunray'). 'Goldilocks' is a registered clone from Holland with vivid golden yellow, hanging, shallow open flowers

F. graeca* is a variable species with ssp. graeca, thessala and reiseri and var. gussichiae (F. gussichiae). F. graeca thessala ssp. ionica (F. ionica) is a dwarf with single green bells with purple tessellation on the margins and can be grown outside in the U.K. The good forms have solid brown purple bells with a strong green stripe along the tepals. Eg. var. guicciardii is doubtfully worth varietal status but the bells are longer, with up to 5 flowers on tall, broad-leaved stems.

F. hermonis. F. hermonis has been separated from F. hermonis amana (now F.amand) and has grey foliage and fat glaucous bells.The real F. hermonis ssp. amana of old has many attractive selections. Two to look out for are EKB 1034 with long graceful green bells with brown tessellation and stripes on short (10cm) stems, and 'Sunglow' (P.C. 1991) which is a pale yellow selection with large, attractively formed bells.This is a magnificent plant introduced by Norman Stevens (NS 2333) and is also known as 'Goksun Gold'. Some forms can be more yellow if grown from seed. Recent collections from the southern end of the range have introduced many interesting forms with strongly coloured, heavily tessellated flowers.

F. japonica. Ejaponica vax.japonica and var. koidzumiana are both rare in the wild and in cultivation. F.j. var. koidzumiana (EC. 1994) is slightly the larger plant with ivory white bells chequered with pink, green and brown and fimbriate margins to its tepals. Both are very dainty plants but not readily available.

F. karelinii. Tulkhakim' (collected on a mountain slope near Pulkhakim, Baisun-tau, Uzbekistan) is described as a real gem. Flowers are white with prominent green chequering on back of petals on stems 20cm high. Leaves are wide, grey-green with the basal ones very undulated. There is some doubt whether this is actually E karelinii, it could be F. ariana. It looks stunning from the photograph I have seen.

F. kotschyana.The flowers are very large for the size of the plant.'Craigton Max' is the largest flowered selection.

F. latifolia. The high altitude form from Turkey, called F. latifolia ssp. nobilis or F. nobilis is notable for having larger bells on shorter stems that the type species. The larger clones, up to 30cm tall are coarser but will grow outside.

F. lusitanica is an extremely variable species. Some plants have white flowers with green flecking. Look out for plants from Sierra Nevada (nevadensis) that have relatively large flowers on short (20cm) stems.

F. meleagris is the easiest fritillary and seeds around freely. It is not surprising that many colour forms have been selected, including a white form (/:' meleagris 'Alba', F.C.C. 1989) of which 'Aphrodite' is a selected form.The white forms vary from 25cm to 45cm in height.'Saturnus' is the nearest to red but there are many other named clones that may be worth acquiring if you are a collector. A dwarf selection, F. m. ssp. burnatii is worth seeking out although it is not so easy to come by. 'Pink Eveline' is a new, vigorous pale pink flowered form but I have not seen it yet.

F. meleagroides is a vigorous, impressive plant with dark, blackish brown flowers on very strong stems 60-70cm tall (Giant Form).The variety'Poltav' is a much smaller plant with stems 30-40cm tall.

F. messanensis var. atlantica (previously F. oranensis) is shorter than the type species with broader, very grey basal leaves. Unfortunately it is not as easy to grow as E messanensis itself, which is a good garden plant.

F. michailovskyi. No named forms but although now produced by hundreds of thousands, some forms are better than others. The multi-flowered plants, up to seven flowers to a stem, that have recently appeared are probably a nursery selection. I like the ones where the solid mahogany colour of the upper two thirds is sharply demarcated from the lower yellow third. However the ratio of brown to yellow can be very variable and there is even a pure yellow form, much admired, that I have heard about but not seen.

F. montana is an easy species for outdoor culture but there is a slender, dwarf form with globular, brownish bells, which is less vigorous and looks good in a pot.

F. pallidiflora is a robust species easily grown outside. There is a very rare selection with flowers having 20 tepals instead of the usual six (floreplena plenary. Available from a specialist nursery at a price.

F.persica.'Adiyaman' is a great improvement on the common from.The white (ivory) flowered variety 'Ivory Bells' (PC. 1997) arose from seedlings of F. persica 'Adiyaman' which are usually purple. It is becoming more readily available but still very expensive. Quite an impressive plant in full flower. 'Senkoy' has now superseded 'Adiyaman' having better flower shape and colour and being more floriferous.

F.pinardii is very variable, usually with brown to brownish yellow flowers.There are some dwarf forms that have pure yellow bells that look like Ecarica. I like the forms with open undulated or flared tepals. Plants from Ilgaz Dag are very dwarf with relatively large flowers that are deep purple with a gold band at the edge. A selection 'MPR7931' with large bells that are half-yellow is described as F. p. 'superb'. 'TA92.40' is a form with exceptionally long black bells. There is a robust, stoloniferous form that increases very rapidly. A 'Tall Form' has proportionately larger brown, gold-edged flowers. 'Newbyth' (A.M. 2001) is a named clone with 20-25 mm long tepals, reddish on the outside with a yellow tip and yellow on the interior. It is a delightful form that I would dearly love to grow if the opportunity becomes available. I understand the grower is trying to increase the stock to ensure the continuity of this superb clone. So there is hope.

F.pluriflora. Normally deep pink but in wetter habitats, white, pale pink, dark pink, rose-purple or even cerise flowers are seen. Some plants have up to 15 flowers.The pure white forms would certainly be worth introducing in cultivation.

F. pontica is an easy, reliable garden plant. P.p. var. substipelata (A.M. 1989) is rarely seen, with attractive deep green flowers with a wide brown band on the inner rim of the bells and brown nectaries.Trasil' (Pras 1276) is a selected clone. I am awaiting flowering this year to find out how it differs from the normal type.

F. pudica. There are some delicate forms from the Great Basin that differ markedly from the common forms in cultivation.'Alberta' is a clone grown in Gothenburg Botanical Garden and reputedly the best clone but I have not seen it.'Richard Britten' (A.M. 1991) is the largest flowered selection, significantly larger than any other clone, on very short stems. It is one of the earliest to flower and therefore does not often hit the show benches.The flowers do not stay in good condition for very long.There is a 'Giant Form' that is free flowering and strong and hardy enough to grow in the garden. F. pudica 'Fragrance' is a free flowering clone with flowers similar to the type but with a delicate lily fragrance which is unusual in frits.

F.pyrenaica.The most attractive selection (for me) is F.pyrenaica 'Bernard Tickner' with chrome yellow flowers. I have a particular affection for this plant since I grew it from 2 bulbs in 1993 and showed a pot with over 40 flowers, at the Glasgow Show in 2000 when it was awarded a F.C.C. and the Forrest medal. However it is not the easiest plant to grow since I lost all my stock in mysterious circumstances the following year. There are other attractive yellow forms around, e.g. lutea, lutescens or 'Corbridge Yellow' most of which have some green on the shoulders but they seem to have a weaker constitution. 'Old Gold' is another yellow flowered selection with a base of old gold speckled with caramel shades. Every intermediate shade between yellow and brown exists. In the wild, there are plants with stems only 10-15cm high, of which 'Braeside' (A.M. 1995) is a named form. It is shorter and stouter than other forms but with full-sized flowers that have dark brown exteriors and gold interiors with reddish brown chequering.'Cedric Morris'(EC. 1996) is an improved selection on the average form with stouter stems, broader greyer leaves and significantly larger bells that are deep purplish black on the outside and olive green inside.

F. recurva. 'Sensational' describes this selection, which is a registered clone from Holland, selected for its vigour, extra height and the flowers that are of a stunning bright scarlet colour with yellow chequering. F. r. var. coccinea (designated F. coccinea by early collectors) should be very attractive in flower. The plants are reported to be short in stature, with slender sterns and early flowers without the strongly recurved lobes that are typical of the species. The colour of the flowers is dark crimson or brilliant scarlet mottled with yellow. I have just one seedling left from a 1996 sowing and it could be some years before it flowers. It is probably more difficult than the normal forms. F. r. var. gentneri (F.gentneri) has a deeper shade of red than F. recurva and the lobes are also not recurved. It is considered by some to be the same as var. coccinea (it is not!), but the plant I grow is quite vigorous with stems about 30cm high. It does not seem to be that difficult to grow and has been flowering regularly since 1995. There is a hybrid between F, recurva and F.affinis (F.'Craigton Cascade',A.M. 2001) that is a statuesque plant with 50cm high graceful arching stems and 2-8 (up to 15) flowers per stem. The flowers appear intermediate between F. recurva and F. affinis.

F. rhodocanakis. EMR 209 is a Greek mainland form of the species similar in colour to some good forms of F. michailovskyi. Like F. michailovskyi, forms that are completely yellow exist.

F.ruthenica. There is a very robust form of this plant with about 15 flowers per stem. Said to be easy outside.

F. sewerzowii is not a good show plant as the stems are never straight. The greeny yellow ('lutea') form with a brown centre is more attractive than the brown form.

F. stenanthera. Although the flowers are generally pink, the colour is variable with some forms being quite pale, muddy pink or slate grey and some in which the flowers can be sparse and quite closed. I like those with several clear shell pink or deep pink and more open flowers on sturdy stems. Grow them from seeds and select a good form.

F.striata is one of the more difficult American species to grow. The flower colour is usually pink but the white flowered version looks stunning. Delightfully fragrant.

F. tubiformis has very large flowers on stems that can vary from 6-8cm to 20cm.The taller plants look more balanced. F. tubiformis ssp. moggridgei is the attractive yellow form of the species.

F.tuntasia is close to F.obliqua but taller and with other distinguishing features. I was given bulbils of a dwarf form of F. tuntasia two years ago. Eagerly awaiting the first flowers.

F.uva-vulpis.The common form is an easy plant very freely available but not the most attractive. 'Kew Form' is an improvement and very different. It has larger purple bells recurved at the tips with an orange/brown interior that is strongly veined. It flowers about three weeks before the usual form.

F.verticillata has two named forms,'Kara Sumbe' (large white, greenish veined stumpy flowers) and 'Urdzar' (longer more straight bells). They are both tall plants (50-60cm), different but flowering reliably every year, unlike many plants of F. verticillata/ F. thunbergii in cultivation which flower poorly or not at all.

There are also many new Chinese species and sub species but it is too early to say which particular selections are superior. Most of them are rather tall but I am sure in time more compact selections will be made.

Once you start growing fritillaries, you want to increase your collection and it is difficult to resist acquiring a new form, for completeness! I try to grow as many of the forms mentioned above but some are very scarce and hard to come by.

*Editorial note: F Graeca has been split and is now-
F. thessala ssp raseri
F. Graeca F.guiccardia = F Graeca
F. thessala F. thessala ssp ionica
F. latifolia includes all forms called 'nobilis'