Herb: Yellow Fritillary


Latin name: Fritillaria pudica


Synonyms: Lilium pudicum


Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)



Edible parts of Yellow Fritillary:

Bulb - raw or cooked. It can also be dried for later use. Rich in starch, it is best used in the autumn. The raw bulb tastes like potatoes, when cooked it tastes like rice. It can be eaten as a vegetable or can be added to soups etc. The green seedpods can be eaten raw or cooked but are bitter. A delicious flavour.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Bulb


Height:
20 cm
(7 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Grassland and sagebrush deserts to mixed coniferous forests, also on stony mountain slopes, 400 - 2000 metres.

Propagation of Yellow Fritillary:

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring. Protect from frost. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible and can take a year or more to germinate. Sow the seed quite thinly to avoid the need to prick out the seedlings. Once they have germinated, give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not suffer mineral deficiency. Once they die down at the end of their second growing season, divide up the small bulbs, planting 2 - 3 to an 8cm deep pot. Grow them on for at least another year in light shade in the greenhouse before planting them out whilst dormant. Division of offsets in August. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out in the autumn. Bulb scales.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grassland and sagebrush deserts to mixed coniferous forests, also on stony mountain slopes, 400 - 2000 metres.

Medicinal use of Yellow Fritillary:

None known

Known hazards of Fritillaria pudica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.