CHOCOLATE RICE LILY Fritillaria camschatcensis
Fritillaria camschatcensis is a species of fritillary native to northeastern Asia and northwestern North America, including northern Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska, northern Japan, and the Russian Far East (Amur, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Magadan, Primorye, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands).
It has many common names, including Kamchatka fritillary and Kamchatka lily. It is also called rice lily, northern rice-root, or "Indian rice" or "wild rice", because of the rice-like bulblets that form around its roots, skunk lily, or "chocolate lily" because of its brown color.
Stem is up to 60 cm tall, with flowers at the top. Flowers are spreading or nodding (hanging downwards), dark brown, sometimes mottled with yellow.
Type: Hardy perennial
Hardiness zones: 4-8
Height: 60 cm
Location: Sun or part shade
Deer resistant: Yes
Note: Ornamental use only. Many plants have poisonous parts, these included. These seeds and/or plants are poisonous.
Seeds per pack: 3
Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds require a period of moist cold to help them begin to grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (artificial or natural), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:
Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 4-6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks after the warming period.
If you are planting your seeds in late winter or spring, these seeds can be planted outdoors while it is still cool out (once the ground is workable and unfrozen), to receive the cold period naturally in the garden.
