I grew it from seed marked Fritillaria carica. Imagine my excitement the first time it bloomed!
Arturo, Fritillaria seed do look a lot like Lilium. Sometimes you can see the embryo in the dry seed when you candle them (like Lilium), and some times not. If you do detect an embryo, it is always quite short compared to lilies.
All fritillaria are technically immediate epigeal in germination. But all of them, except some of the North American species (Pacific northwest, USA), go through a maturation stage after planting, and then a cold period before they germinate. We plant them in late summer/early fall. Where I am in Minnesota, I plant the first week of September. The embryo will do its stuff, and germinate in the following spring. Fritillaria are cold germinators: they sprout in the 35-55F (2-12C) range. My best germinations come when its been warming up, and then it snows, and the wet snow stays for two or three days before it melts.
Yeah, love those miniatures!
F. crassiflolia ssp. kurdica
Even the common F. meleagris is easy, although I seem to have some trouble with this one from seed.
F. pallida is easy from seed.
