"A spring flowering, robust, bulbous perennial. Lance-shaped leaves are produced on upright stems, up to 25cm long, coloured glaucous to grey-green. Up to 30 pendant, narrow bell-shaped flowers, brown to deep-purple in colour, held in racemes appear in the spring." RHS

"Commonly known as The Persian Lily, this showy, statuesque 1585 heirloom creates a focal point in late spring display gardens. It offers a profusion of plum-colored, pendant bell-shaped flowers on strong 30" stalks above blue-green, wavy foliage. Some flowering racemes can have loosely compacted pendant florets while others, perhaps more mature specimens, can have up to 30 more tightly compacted florets." Von Engelen Bulb catalog

"The Persian Fritillary was introduced into English gardens in the late sixteenth century, but at the time did not capture the same attention as its cousin, the Crown Imperial Lily. This Fritillary's unusual, deep violet blue flowers are perhaps more appealing to modern tastes. Bernard McMahon, Jefferson's gardening mentor, listed the Fritillaria persica on his 1810 broadsheet." The Garden at Monticello

" This hardy bulb produces a two- to four-foot spike with glossy, blue-green foliage that features showy, bell-shaped, dusky purple flowers in mid-spring. Plant in a sunny, well-drained site, covering with 6-8 inches of soil. Best if lifted after foliage dies back and kept warm and dry. Replant in autumn."