Fritillaria pudica aka Yellow Fritillaria

Fritillaria pudica is a small bulb plant in the lily family. People call it yellow fritillary, yellow bells, or mission bells. It grows wild in western Canada and the western United States. Its range takes in the south of British Columbia. It also grows in the southwest of Alberta. To the south, it reaches northern California and Nevada. It reaches the northwest of Colorado, too. It grows in grassland and land with sagebrush. It also grows in mixed conifer woods and on rocky mountain slopes.

This plant lives for years and grows at a slow pace. It grows from a bulb below the ground. PFAF gives its height as about 0.66 feet (0.2 metres). Its spread is about 0.33 feet (0.1 metres). Small bulbs, called bulblets, form beside the main bulbs. Growers can use these to make more plants. Bright yellow flowers hang with their heads down in spring. PFAF gives April to May as the bloom season. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers and find food there in early spring.

Grow it in sand-rich soil or loam that drains well. Soil may be a little acid, neutral, or a little alkaline. Give it sun or light shade beneath woodland trees. The soil can be dry or moist. It grows best with cool, moist winters and drier summers. PFAF lists it for USDA zones 3–8. Its small size suits meadows and the edges of woodland gardens. It brings spring colour but does not grow tall.

Raise new plants from seed or split off the small bulblets. Sow fresh seed in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Stored seed can take a year or more to sprout. Sow thinly to reduce the need to move young seedlings. PFAF says to divide young bulbs after their second growing season. Then give them at least one more year in light greenhouse shade. This slow start means seeds take longer than bulb division.

People have long cooked the bulbs as a seasonal food. Roast or bake them for a mild, sweet, starchy taste. PFAF also says people can eat the young seedpods. The small bulbs yield little food when dug. Grow plants for food rather than dig small wild colonies. Heavy picking can leave wild bulb stocks slow to recover. Be sure you know the plant before using it. Poisonous bulb plants may grow near it. These food reports do not prove that pets can eat it safely. PFAF lists no known use as medicine.