FRITILLARIA ACMOPETALA - 5 SEED PACK - EXOTIC PERENNIAL BULB IN SOUTH AFRICA

Fritillaria is a genus of about 100 to 130 species of bulbous plants in the family Liliaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, especially the Mediterranean, southwest Asia, and western North America. The name is derived from the Latin term for a dice-box (fritillus), and probably refers to the checkered pattern of the flowers of many species. Plants of the genus are known in English as fritillaries. Some North American species are called mission bells. Fritillaries often have nodding, bell- or cup-shaped flowers, and the majority are spring-flowering. The scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) eats fritillaries, and may become a pest where these plants are grown in gardens.           Fritillaria acmopetala commonly known as Pointed-petal Fritillary or Asian Fritillaria is found in fields in the Eastern Mediterranean region. It is olive green and reddish-brown and is not tessellated (checkered) nor do the tepals have median stripes. The tips of the tepals curl back strongly. It is a reasonably large flower with 3 outer petals of pale green alternating with 3 inner ones marked reddish brown, hanging like a bell with the open end reflexed back on itself. The bulb can produce 10 or more bulblets in a season. They should not be disturbed when in growth, as the roots do not re-grow once broken. After leaf growth has died back, if necessary bulbs can be examined for division, but it may take a season or more to flower again.