Hi Jane,
You wrote :
And at the very end of the fritillaria season, the color returns
> with F. recurva, gentneri, and eastwoodiae (closely related), which are
> pollinated by hummingbirds--which don't arrive until RIbes sanguineum is
in
> flower in the woods.
Interesting you say that, as my Fritillaria eastwoodiae are coming into
flower now, at the start of the season. This species originally came to me
as seed from Jim and Georgie Robinett, and has flowered the last couple of
seasons at this time of year (for us it is late Winter/early Spring).
Could it be that our edaphic conditions are more suitable (or should I say
softer) for them to come up earlier than in the wild? With Fritillaria the
shoot emerges with the flowers onboard, so it would seem the earlier they
come up the earlier they flower. Does this sound right?
Kind regards,
Dirk