About 100 species of bulbous perennials from Europe, North Africa, Asia and western North America. They have simple stems with linear or lanceolate, rather fleshy leaves, and usually one to a few nodding bell-shaped, six tepalled flowers, often in shades of green, brown or purple.
A few species such as F. imperialis are spectacular and common garden plants. F. meleagris and F. pyrenaica are suitable for naturalising in grassland. Some of the larger species grow well in well-drained soil under shrubs, so that the roots keep them dry in summer; F. pontica, F. messanensis subsp. gracilis and F. acmopetala are the best for this position. F. camschatcensis will grow well in cooler or shadier places. Most other species are best grown in a bulb frame, in a pot in the alpine house or in a position on the rock garden where they can be protected from slugs and heavy rain. Most species are dormant in summer, and begin to grow in autumn, but in several species from central Asia, such as F. pallidiflora, root growth begins as early as late June. All species flower in spring; in cultivation the Himalayan species and F. camschatcensis are the last to flower. In China most species are collected for medicine, and some species, such as F. pallidiflora are cultivated on a large scale. Propagation by seed sown in autumn, by bulbils (in some species), and by breaking the bulbs in two or more pieces in summer. The Japanese species have small pear-shaped seeds, which should probably be sown as soon as ripe.
a, F. acmopetala; b, F. pallidiflora; c, F. pyrenaica;
a, F. bucharica; b, F. michailovskyi; c, F. pudica; d, F. recurva;