Why Does My Fritillaria Look Unhealthy?

Are the blooms undersized and the plants look weak?

Are the leaves yellow and chewed in places?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them?

Have the leaves been eaten, red beetles can be found on the plants as well as clusters of orange-red, sausage-shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves?

Are the leaves pale on their upper side, and with dusty blisters on the undersides?

Are the leaves yellow, thickly dotted with small black spots, some may drop prematurely?

This problem is caused by overcrowding. After several years, depending on how closely the fritillary bulbs were planted originally, they will have produced many young offsets and the bed will be overcrowded and deprived of nutrients. After the foliage has died back and the bulbs are dormant, dig them up and gently separate young offsets from parent bulbs. Replant all of the bulbs that seem healthy with proper spacing described above.

Two types of weevils cause problems for fritillaria. The grub of the lily weevil damages the stems below the soil. The adult black vine weevil affects leaves and roots. These pests are difficult to control. Once the damage is noted on its foliage, dust the fritillary, its foliage, stems, and flowers, as well as the soil around the plant thoroughly with sabadilla, botanical insecticide. Repeat this step in five days or sooner if rains wash the powder off.

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves usually at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

The beetles are Lily beetles. These pests are known defoliators of fritillaria. The adult beetles overwinter away from host plants and so there is no suitable treatment outside of the growing season.

Likely cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease - Rust. Provide good air circulation around plants by thining them. Avoid making leaves wet when watering. Remove and destroy all garden debris before spring. All infected leaves should be removed. Spray leaves with sulfur early in the season to prevent rust or to treat mild infections.

Fungal leaf spot disease is caused by several fungi. Control it by removing all diseased leaves from the plant and destroying them. Remove fallen dead plant debris promptly from the garden to reduce overwintering spore populations. Dig up and discard seriously infected plants together with their neighboring soil. Spray plants with sulfur to prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the weather is wet. Prevent problems by thinning plants to provide good air circulation.

If your fritillaria isn't flowering, some environmental issues or poor growing practices might have been the cause. Fritillarias planted in heavy clays or infertile, sandy soils, rarely flower in subsequent years. When buying fritillaria bulbs, choose the ones that are 20 centimeters or larger in diameter and plant them in fertile, well-drained soil, somewhere in full sun. Plant bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep, 9 to 12 inches apart.