Flower Glossary: Fritillaria

Of all the fancy flowers you can find, Fritillaria might be my favorite. Their delicate, bell-shaped heads look as if they’ve been painted by hand with the most intricate checkered pattern. While not all species have the same patterning (some have dramatically large, single-color blooms), the vast majority share a graceful nodding look that only adds to their elegance. Unfortunately Fritillaria come with a fairly high price tag per-stem and per-bulb. But their delicate and detailed nature makes them an excellent candidate for a single-stem display. So if buying a bunch isn’t in your budget, a single bloom will be perfect in a small bedside vase. xo, grace

Additional Information about Fritillaria:

• Family: Liliaceae
• Varieties: There are approximately 130 species of Fritillaria, grown most commonly in the Mediterranean, southwest Asia and western North America.
• Cost: Fritillaria are not always easy to come by and most often come with a hefty price tag, ranging from $6 – $10 a stem.
• Fun facts: Well, perhaps it’s more funny than fun, but some species of Fritillaria release a pungent and extremely displeasing odor, leading to the nickname “stink bells.”