Description
PNW member of the lily family. With a home range that extends from northern BC to southern California, from the alpine timer line to sea level, this native is highly adaptable to many growing sites. Its a gorgeous plant with yellow and dark purple checkered marks arranged at random. From a distance the nodding flared petals have a chocolate colour. No, sorry, they don’t taste like chocolate, but it was an important food source for First Nations where the rice like bulb-lets were cooked for food. Though given the common name “rice root”, it cannot be confused with Fritillaria camschatensis, another PNW lily which too has edible rice like bulblets.
That said, its easy to grow in a dry to mesic garden setting.
- Seed Count: 15-20
- Collection Date: July 2024
- Hardiness Zone: 5-9
- Height and Width: 50cm x 20cm
- Germination test type: hand sort
- Family: Liliaceae
How to germinate Fritillaria lanceolata seeds:
Make a well draining medium of peat, compost and 1/4 silica sand (20/30 grade is best) by volume. Fill pots or flats. Mist to help adhere seed to medium surface. Place seed 1 seed width apart. With a seive, shake medium to cover seed 2-3mm. Apply 4mm chicken grit on top. Mist well. No vigorous watering as this will dislodge seed and mess up your work. Keep medium moist. Requires 120 days of cold stratification to germinate. Germinates at cool temps. Give strong indirect light. Seedlings resemble grass, so don’t be tempted to “weed”. Usually the seed capsule clings to the growing seedling tip like a little flag. Germination can be erratic so don’t be disappointed, the kids will come. Just keep the medium moist never wet.
