Fritillaria species originating in Europe are described on this page. Species a-o are found on this page.
Fritillaria burnatii (Planch.) Backh. see Fritillaria tubiformis.
Fritillaria conica Boiss. is endemic to the Peloponnese where it grows in scrub. It has shiny green leaves and deep yellow conical flowers and is one of the easier yellow-flowered species to grow. Height: 12 cm. Flower photos by John Lonsdale. Bulb photo by Peter Taggart.
In seed photos by David Pilling where the second of the same seed was taken using transmitted light, embryos are barely visible; see Fritillaria Germination. The last photo taken 63 days later after the seeds had been exposed to cold (32-40 °F) and moisture shows the embryos have developed and germination is taking place.
Fritillaria davisii Turrill is found on hillsides, scrub, olive groves and cornfields at low altitudes in the Peloponnese (Greece). This species has two broad leaves that rest on the ground and dark chocolate waxy flowers that are yellowish-green inside. This color shows lightly through to the outside petal tip. This species increases well. Height: 15 cm. First two photos, by Mary Sue Ittner, are of plants blooming in February 2005 in Northern California. Third photo by John Lonsdale.
Fritillaria ehrhartii Boiss. & Orph. from the Aegean Islands of Greece, flowering in a bulb frame in Oregon in late March, showing the typical dusky purple flowers with a gray "bloom" on the outer surface and the small golden apices of the tepals. These four-year-old seedlings are in their second flowering year, an easy species to cultivate with a little overhead protection. Height: 18 cm. Photo by Jane McGary.
Fritillaria elwesii Boiss. is widespread in southwestern Turkey where it can be found in pine woodlands up to 900 m (3,000 ft). It grows to 40 cm (16 in) and has purple brown flowers with a clear green stripe. It prefers an open sunny situation that dries out in summer. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Fritillaria euboeica Rix is native to the mountains of Central and Northern of the Greek Island Evia at altitudes of mostly 700-1700 m where it grows in rocky places. It grows from 5 to 20 cm high and has bright yellow flowers fading reddish and blue-green lanceolate leaves. If flowers from late February to April, depending on the altitude. The first photo was taken by Jane McGary who grew it from Archibald's seed. The next two photos were taken by John Lonsdale.
In 2026 Fritillaria rixii Zaharof is considered to be a synonym. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Fritillaria graeca Boiss. & Spruner is native to Albania, Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete; it has brown bells with a green stripe. Height: about 25 cm. Photo from iNaturalist taken by Stavros Apostolou and shared under a CC BY-NC license.
Seed photos by David Pilling. The second was taken using transmitted light; embryos are barely visible, see Fritillaria Germination. The next photo taken 67 days later after the seeds had been exposed to cold (32-40 °F) and moisture shows the embryos have developed and germination is taking place.
Fritillaria gussichiae (Degen & Dörfl.) Rix is native to Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece where it is found in woodlands and has pale green untessellated flowers flushed brown. Height: about 30 cm. Photo from John Lonsdale.
Fritillaria meleagris L. see the Fritillaria meleagris page. Height: 20-30 cm. Representative photos of this species by Arnold Trachtenberg, David Pilling, and Mary Sue Ittner.
Fritillaria messanensis Raf. is a Mediterranean species with flowers that are hanging bells of chequered brown and green with a green stripe down the center of each petal ranging in height from 10 to 70 cm or sometimes more. There are four subspecies.
Fritillaria messanensis ssp. gracilis (Ebel) Rix from the northwestern Balkan region is a plant of alpine meadows and light woodland, well adapted to gardens in temperate regions. Flowers are glaucous green, upturned at the mouth, and not tessellated.
Fritillaria messanensis subsp. messanensis is native to Greece and Italy. Flowers are glaucous green and tessellated with a stem that is from 20-70 (-110) cm tall. Flowers are slightly upturned at the mouth. Photos were taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Fritillaria messanensis ssp. neglecta (Parl.) Nyman is endemic to the coastal mountains of Croatia (Dalmatia and Istria). It has rounded tepals that are not upturned at the mouth and are tessellated.
Fritillaria messanensis ssp. sphaciotica (Gand.) Kamari & Phitos is native to Crete, growing on rocky slopes, rocky scrublands, and forest glades at 0-1350 m. Flowers are purplish glaucous-green, often purple at the base and slightly upturned at the mouth. It grows from 10 to 25 cm. Shown flowering in Oregon in late March. Photo by Jane McGary.
Fritillaria obliqua Ker Gawl. is native to the vicinity of Athens, Greece, where it is endangered owing to loss of habitat to development. The name obliqua refers to the slightly tilted attitude of the flowers, as shown in the photo. The deep purple tepals are satiny in texture, contrasting with the bright golden pollen within. Height: 10-30 cm. Shown flowering in a bulb frame in Oregon in March. Photo by Jane McGary.
In 2026 Fritillaria tuntasia Heldr. & Halácsy is considered to be a subspecies: Fritillaria obliqua ssp. tuntasia (Heldr. ex Halácsy) Kamari. It is an easily grown Greek Island subspecies with conical black purple flowers. In habitat it is found in scrub at altitudes to 100 m (300 ft). It prefers a dry summer. It is taller with more leaves and smaller flowers. Height range: 10-35 cm. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Asian fritillaria a-c - Asian fritillaria d-k - Asian fritillaria l-r - Asian fritillaria s-z - European fritillaria p-z - Fritillaria index - Miscellaneous fritillaria - North American fritillaria a-l - North American fritillaria m-z