Fritillaria michailovskyi is one of the cuter smaller frits, but it packs a good punchy odor in those little flowers, and for that reason it’s one of my favorites.
The michailovskyi flower is pendant and bell-shaped, with thick, long-lasting waxy petals that can range in color from a purple so dark as to be almost black to a rather pale burgundy. The leaves are delicate blades of approximately the same height as the flower stalks.
The biggest challenge to this flower is getting to know it: it’s short, so seeing inside the pendant flowers requires either a.) taking a cutting, or b.) getting down on your belly. I’m not averse to either, but I say getting down there is the better option, as I’m of the opinion that this fritillaria is best appreciated in the ground rather than in a vase. It’s a modest beauty, not a show-stopper, and so if you are going to bring it inside I recommend making it an accent rather than a centerpiece.
Fritillaria michailovskyi was introduced into popular cultivation in the sixties and gradually became one of the favorite fritillaries, most likely due to it’s dramatic color.
The bulb and flower both give off that famous musky fritillaria odor some call foxy. Some love this scent, some hate it. It is certainly far from a perfume.
fritillaria michailovskyi stats:
zones: 4a to 8a
exposure: full sun
native to: Turkey
height: 4 – 8 in.
spacing: 4-8 in.
Ph: 6.1 – 7.8
blooms: mid-April to early May
scent: foxy
good for: rock gardens, bed edges. plant in bunches.