Practical
Plants

Fritillaria pallidiflora

Pale-Flowered Fritillary

a member of the Fritillaria genus in the family Liliaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bulbs are antitussive, expectorant, febrifuge and pectoral[14][4][7]. They contain fritimine which lowers blood pressure, diminishes excitability of respiratory centres, paralyses voluntary movement and counters effects of opium[11][7]. An infusion of the dried powdered bulb is used internally in the treatment of coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, feverish illnesses, abscesses etc[7]. The bulbs also have a folk history of use against cancer of the breast and lungs in China[6][7]. This remedy should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, excessive doses can cause breathing difficulties and heart failure[7]. The bulbs are harvested in the winter whilst they are dormant and are dried for later use[7].

Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Pectoral

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China to E. Siberia.
Habitat
Alpine meadows, woods and scrub[8]. Slopes in the sub-alpine zone[12]. Forests, thickets, meadows, grassy slopes, mountain steppes, 1300 - 2500 metres in NW Xinjiang, China[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring[1]. Protect from frost[2]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible and can take a year or more to germinate[2]. Sow the seed quite thinly to avoid the need to prick out the seedlings. Once they have germinated, give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not suffer mineral deficiency. Once they die down at the end of their second growing season, divide up the small bulbs, planting 2 - 3 to an 8cm deep pot. Grow them on for at least another year in light shade in the greenhouse before planting them out whilst dormant. Division of offsets in August[1]. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out in the autumn. Bulb scales[3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

One of the best species in this genus for growing outdoors in Britain[13], it is easily grown in a moderately fertile well-drained soil so long as it is not allowed to dry out[10][5]. Prefers a rich peaty soil in semi-shade[13]. Another report says that it succeeds outdoors when grown in a bed of river sand and leafmould about 60cm deep[1]. A very ornamental plant[1]. Cultivated for medicinal use in China[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. RHS Lily Group. Lilies and Related Plants.

    ↩

  4. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  6. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  8. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩

  9. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2

  10. Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938-00-00

    ↩

  11. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  12. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  13. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩1↩2

  14. Zhang Jingwei. Alpine Plants of China. Gordon & Breach. New York. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-677-60190-5

    ↩

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