Fritillaria bulbs belong to the lily family. The name comes from the Latin fritillus, which means 'the cup in which dice are shaken'. It refers to the diamond-shaped pattern (dice) on the flowers of some species. The plants form upright, unbranched stems and mostly linear leaves. The flowers are six-lobed, bell-shaped and they hang bent from the stems. Most varieties flower in the spring.

The plants require well-drained, moist soil and a sheltered, sunny place to grow. Give some fertilizer when the leaves emerge. Water during drought. The bulbs of some species can remain in the ground and naturalize, in other cases (the less hardy ones) they have to overwinter frost-free. Do not cut off yellowing leaves, but let them die off slowly. Some varieties do well in a pot or container.