Common Name:

General Information

Fritillaria sewerzowii is a perennial plant growing from a globose bulb around 30 - 40mm in diameter; the flowering stem is around 20 - 50 cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan

Habitat

Cliff ledges, amongst scrub and on steep earthy slopes; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,000 metres[]. Foothills, argillaceous and stony slopes, and juniper woods[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.25 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Fritillaria sewerzowiiis a plant of the temperate zone, growing in areas with cold winters and warm, dry summers. The plants are usually covered with snow in winter, with much of the moisture required for growth coming from the melt water.
This is a difficult plant to grow unless similar conditions to its natural habitat can be provided. It grows well in a pot, and could also be tried in a raaised bed which was given protection from summer rain. Prefers a well-drained loam that is kept dry in the summer[, ]. The soil must be kept quite firm[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
This species is best grown in a bulb frame, the light being left off (except in severe weather) whilst growth is in progress but then put on in the summer when growth dies down to ensure that the ground is baked[]. Do not disturb the plants and only hand weed them[].

Edible Uses

Bulbs - rich in starch. Despite their bitter flavour, they are used for flavouring bread[].

Medicinal

Anaesthetic[]. The plant contains an alkaloid that is a good local anaesthetic.

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a well-drained, sandy or gritty soil 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[].