I must say that my F.eduarddii is more than in a hurry, it looks as if it won't bother even making leaves!
That surely is another 'confused' one. I can already see the stamen and pistil inside. It hardly reaches 10 cm and is supposed to be 70-80cm tall. I cannot imagine that it will grow that tall with drooping flowers...
Fritillaria graeca, planted in a pot on my terrace looks so similar to F.amana planted in the garden that I would think they are the same. I'll have to study it in detail...
That's a nice coincidence Tammy! It might take some years though before you can enjoy its flowers... But of course nothing can compare the joy of a self-grown plant with one bought ready to flower..
It looks like F.raddeana has taken inspiration with the F.eduarddii.
At least it shows the same symptoms..
pic. taken yesterday.
But then this is my first experience with these Fritillaria's, so perhaps this is supposed to be...
This message was edited Feb 27, 2008 8:05 PM
bonitin--both of those are beautiful! =)
What a hurry they are in, and what a gorgeous golden colour F. eduarddii is! They must be in a hurry because of the unusual weather, and maybe the microclimate they are growing in has pushed them along too.
I would have thought they would flower later than normal if they are just establishing, but I wonder if the conditions they were kept in prior to planting have caused them to be forced, much the same as Hyacinths.
F. graeca is doing well, they must have been good bulbs. I checked on my F whittallii and as far as I can tell it's still OK, just looking like it wants to grow.
I took a pic of mine yesterday through the jungle in the greenhouse. It's more than 10cm tall, I would guess twice that or more. The 'scent' is of very strong onion but I don't find that unpleasant. I couldn't fit all the leaves in from where I was taking it.
Thanks dmj!
When I see your F.imperialis, wallaby then I think that is what my eduardii should do too, as they are so closely related.
I'm not sure about the : "unusual weather, and maybe the micro climate they are growing". The weather here has been more or less the same as yours and your F.imperialis is in a greenhouse which is a micro climate on its own.
About the conditions the bulbs were kept in one doesn't know, but I guess that being a firm specialised in rare bulbs that has not been the intention..
On the other hand it is strange that many of the fritillarias I had ordered are behaving like this..
They may act weird their first year and then settle on in to their new home. Frit's are pretty time-consuming from seed so what real choice do you have bonitin?
Janet, I'm anxious to see yours bloom too. I love and appreciate all bulbs even if I can't grow them here (and I'm sure ya'll appreciate the ones that don't do well there too!)--now if I can "twist" yours arms into showing me some of the Corydalis' species I know you must have when they get going, I know I'll be in bulb eye candy heaven via the world wide web.
=)
Debbie
If I had a greenhouse and the space I might just do that dmj.. It's very rewarding to grow plants from seeds.
Now, I don't know whether I have to laugh or to cry!
:-)( My F. eduardii looks so weird, it has opened its flowers and has grown only to barely 15cm tall.
What it should have done is to keep its buds closed until it grew to its normal height. What makes it worse is after the storm of last night with heavy rain showers, it has water at the bottom of the flower heads. I don't think that is meant to be as the flowers normally droop and so keep the rain out.
There goes my vision of an impressive tall Fritillaria with gorgeous drooping flowers. I think I'll choose to cry snifff...
But F.raddeana has more common sense, it grew very fast the last days and reaches something like 20 cm and keep its buds closed.
another angle;
One of the three F.palidifloria looks promising with three flowerbuds. Another is much smaller and doesn't look like its going to give flowers and the third is just pushing up its nose.
3rd picture is real impressive bonitin--the first one is very interesting. I have one particular Tulipa species doing that same thing with me also--while others located in other places are not. I'm wondering if that particular "group" is having problems adapting this year as they were also planted last fall. I do know that I put them on the east side of the house and they aren't getting as much sun yet as I know they need. And by the time they do start getting enough sun it will be too hot in that location. I guess nothing to do but wait until next year and see if they make the adjustment--frustrating.
Your F. eduardii flowers might still droop bonitin, but I doubt it will get much taller. It could be due to the warmer conditions combined with not being established. You might not have got flowers at all, so look at the bonus you have, they are at least showing their lovely colour.
I can't wait to see F.raddeana, with all those buds you should have a good show.
We had terribly strong winds last night, the noise through the trees was very loud and there's no leaves yet. On top of the earthquake it seemed like it might do some real damage where that didn't, but it didn't. Rain was slinging at the windows hard but there wasn't a lot of rain, many of my larger pots were laid on the ground and didn't get the much needed wetting. We have had so little rain again this winter.
You shouldn't have to wait long to see F. imperialis Deb, I can see buds now. Mine might not get as tall as it should either, I don't remember them showing until it got taller last year. I will try to remember showing the Corydalis too, it's looking good now. The no named one which is C. elata x flexuosa is a really healthy lush mound, it is highly scented too.
I think you are doing quite well with your Fritillarias bonitin, they are said to be difficult.
dmj, I don't think that in my case it has to do with lack of sun as at the moment eduardii is getting more of it than the raddeana..
It's interesting that the specie tulips you've planted this fall also behave similar...
It will stay a mystery and I must look at the bright side that at least i got flowers like wallaby so wisely put forward.
Wallaby, the storm here last night was horrible! with heavy rains and roaring aggressive gusts of wind beating on the window and door panes. Shaken out of my sleep around 4.30am and the rest of the night would become sleepless as I was worrying about some babies in pot that were outside among which the F.raddeana that would be exposed to the violent elements, So got up, took the torch, carefully threading on the narrow path in between hopping toads in all sizes, woken up from their winter sleep, grown lean but not too much so.
To my pleasant surprise, the plants were ok. The wind didn’t manage to harm them, probably being protected by the surrounding walls.
What a picture you paint, lol, I can see you tiptoeing through the tulips, um toads, torch in hand! It hit here a little earlier, but you do seem to be getting the same weather. I thought the rattling of doors and all other noises sounded not a lot different to the earthquake, but it went on longer. When I opened the upstairs window it was like listening to an old movie with all the bombers going overhead.
I am VERY happy with F. raddeana!
It is in fact beautiful in all its stages; Some of its flowers have opened and already got visited by a small solitary bee.
It's going on my list of must haves, lol! You didn't have your camera to get the bee? LOL.
Oh, yes, I had my camera but the pict. didn't come out well, I hadn't the time to focus well. It's the same you have identified wallaby; Osmia rufa (Red Mason Bee) But it's not any longer alone, there 2 small ones and one quite larger but identical:
At least you have a record of the bee at this time of year! Could the larger bee be a different one? The one in your pic looks to only have a red tail end, or is it the pic? The Red-tailed Bumblebee is fairly early, Bombus lapidarius. A species can vary in size though.
No, I'm sure it's the same like you had identified being the Red Mason Bee. The pic is too bad to see clear. they are the only ones except for the big black queen bumble (the local nature forum also don't know what it is) and a B.terrestris (I think).
Here is the same one just before it visited the F.raddeana
Ah yes it is the Red Mason Bee!
A fine F. raddeana there! Superb bulb growers you two are...just me "lurking".
=)
Thanks dmj.
Forgot to say that 'the larger bee' is really the same, it has the same rounded body shape and complete reddish backpart on its body. I only didn't manage to take a picture of it, yet!
By the way wallaby, how is your F. whittallii doing?
It's near the bottom of the pot (they seem to travel downwards), and I thought OK when I looked but I think I should leave it alone or I might do some damage, lol.
Isn't it amazing how some bulb species use those contractile roots of theirs just to pull themselves down deep? I notice that a lot around here--I'm sure to escape the heat.
=)
It is amazing Deb, that is if it has roots, lol! One can hope. The contractile roots are brilliantly designed, concertina style!
Update on F.raddeana; I'm in the seventh heaven with this one!
It is around 35 cm tall and around 40 cm if you include the upper tuft of leaves.
According to my bulb-book it can reach a height of 80 cm tall. I guess mine will do that next year.
They also state in that book that it's strange it is seldom offered on the regular bulb market although it is not difficult and a good garden plant.
a detail;
and another;
Here it shows the beautiful reddish purple stem;
Wow! All those flowers, there must be at least 9 or maybe 10!
The foliage and stem all go so well with the flowers too!
Fantastic plant, I hope I can find it, off to look at my bulb sulliers, lol.
There are 12 flowerbuds on it, wallaby. Almost all of its flowers have opened and it has grown a little taller like 45 cm now.
All the bulbs I've got from Peter Nijssen company prooved to be excellent quality, apart from F. hermonis subsp.hermonis that was a bit immature. I cannot blame them for the strange behaviour of F. eduarddii as the bulb looked very healthy. There is only one thing I'm a bit puzzled about :my F. graeca looks so identical to F. amana that I think they are the same; probably both being F.amana..
F. graeca is supposed to be easily recognized by having a green middle stripe on all petals, but mine only has these stripes on half of them. Also the foliage should be more grayish green..
It has been very grim wet days, bone-chilling winds and somber, with once in a while a tiny bit of sun.
and the whole plant yesterday
And the F.graeca, I suspect being F.amana instead.
Awesome! Now I am jealous, lol, I will have to concentrate on getting more Fritillarias next season.
Grim and wet here too with snatches of sun, the afternoons turn very dull with cold winds and drizzle at the moment. Too much to do to be like this!
I wonder if that is F. graeca ssp thessala, there is 3 pics of it on this site and they seem to vary. No pic of F. amana though.
http://www.fritillaria.org.uk/imgindx.htm
F. graeca may vary too, this pic has some which appear to have nearly all green leaves.
http://www.fritillaria.org.uk/p0238.htm
There is a pic of F. amana at the AGS show, I can see how you think it may be that. Are the bells perhaps a little longer on F. amana?
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/servlet/htmlservlet/shows/results/shows2006/shows/midland/images/Jim_McGregor/sizedDSCN1323.JPG.html
And of course your own pic which does look a little different to the supposed F. graeca. I think it must be graeca, maybe next year it will show differently, or they vary. They are very similar though!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/182496/
That's a very nice British Fritillaria link you found Wallaby!
I've looked at all the pictures of F.graeca, almost all have the middle green stripe on all the petals, but even these vary in foliage, some have broader ones than others, but they all look much more grayish than mine.
and yes, F. graeca ssp thessala looks more close to it, but still with pronounced gray-green leaves.
I think it would be wiser to wait until next year like you say for a definite conclusion. I won't put it yet in PF, as I don't want to confuse..
It is true when I compare the two by photograph, and the one on the ADC site, that the bells of F.amana appear to be a little longer..
I have to rely on my pictures; F.amana is planted downstairs in the garden while F.graeca has its home upstairs on the terrace. Graeca seems to be more happy(getting sun) while amana looks pitiful by now, having had no sun at all. I had counted with the fact that they should bloom in April at the time that the sun would be high enough to reach their spot. On top of that they have been half eaten up by some critters, weakened plants attracts them..
The two in one pict; the top one being amana and the bottom supposedly graeca
They do look different side by side, or top over bottom!
Where I put "appear to have nearly all green leaves" I should have put petals!
My F. imperialis has 6 buds now starting to droop, it had 4 last year I feel sure.
Cannot wait to see it in full bloom. You had a gorgeous pic. from it last year. What type of imperialis is it, I loved its warm deep orange colour and the interesting inside ..
(I also made a mistake when I said that F.hermonis subsp.hermonis was a bit immature, it should have been F. whitallii.. )
