Fritillaria Camschatcensis

Kamchatka fritillary is a vigorous, moisture-loving bulb with glossy leaves arranged in whorls around sturdy stems. Clusters of nodding flowers open in the deepest purple-brown, often appearing almost black, with bright yellow anthers glowing inside each bell. Its remarkable native range spans the Russian Far East and Japan as well as the north-western coast of North America. In several regions the cluster of rice-like bulb scales inspired names such as rice lily, but garden plants should be treated only as ornamentals. It thrives in cool, humus-rich soil that never dries out.