Fritillaria pudica

Common Names

Yellow Fritillary, Yellow Bells, Yellow Missionbells, Golden Bells, Modest Lily, Yellow Bell

Summary

Yellow fritillary is a bulbous perennial in the Liliaceae native to western North America, including British Columbia, Alberta, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. It grows as a short herbaceous plant up to 4–10 inches tall with a bulb producing 2–8 linear to lanceolate leaves at the base and one or two nodding yellow bell-shaped flowers that age to brick red; tepals are yellow to orange, sometimes with brown lines, and green nectaries occur near the base; flowering occurs from March to June on grassy, shrubby, or wooded slopes.

Growing conditions favor gritty, well-drained soil in sunny banks with dry summers; cultivation outdoors can be challenging, though bulb frames can help maintain a colony. Propagation is primarily by seed (requiring cold, moist stratification) and may take about 5–6 years to bulb production; subdivision of offsets is also practiced. In addition to ornamental use, bulbs are edible raw or cooked and green seedpods are edible but bitter. Hardy to Zone 4; bulbs are consumed by bears and rodents, while deer consume leaves and seed pods.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-12 inches

Spread

4-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3a-7b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Dry, well-drained gritty soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

5.5-7.5, Slightly acidic to mildly alkaline.

Bloom Color

Yellow to orange to brick red

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Bulb scales, Bulblets

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts insects