Flower profile

Yellow fritillary

Fritillaria pudica

Yellow fritillary (Fritillaria pudica) is a flowering plant in the Liliaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Yellow fritillary is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

11states where USDA records it

3Bloomipedia state lists include it

6,068U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Quick look

Fritillaria pudica, the yellow fritillary, is a small perennial plant found in the sagebrush country in the western United States and Canada. It is a member of the lily family Liliaceae. Another common name is "yellow bells", since it has a bell-shaped yellow flower.
From Wikipedia's article Fritillaria pudica, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Liliaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. ^NatureServe
In Idaho, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
In Montana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 1,015 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #18 among the 143 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 866 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #41 among the 128 flowers on our Montana list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 428 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #64 among the 113 flowers on our Wyoming list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,652 records)

Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Idaho	Native	March–May	1,015
Montana	Native	April–May	866
Wyoming	Native	May–June	428

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Montana: No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Montana.
Wyoming: No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Wyoming.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CO (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Wyoming. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records yellow fritillary in 11 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Butte, Camas, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Power, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley, Washington.

Montana counties with USDA records: Cascade, Gallatin, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Park, Phillips, Powder River, Ravalli, Sanders, Stillwater, Teton.

Wyoming counties with USDA records: Big Horn, Carbon, Fremont, Lincoln, Park, Sheridan, Teton, Uinta, Washakie.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Yellow fritillary a medium shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 6.5 to 9.0 and winter lows down to 47 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: Medium
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 6.5 to 9.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: 47 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 60
Annual precipitation range: 8 to 16 inches
Minimum root depth: 8 inches
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Short
Active growth period: Spring
Fruit or seed: Red · Spring to Spring
Can be propagated by: bulb
Commercial availability: No Known Source

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for FRPU2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Lilium pudicum, Ochrocodon pudicus.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 117 counties across 10 states; the most are in Idaho (33), Oregon (20), Washington (18).

Other Fritillaria on Bloomipedia (3): Checker lily, Spotted fritillary, Rice root.

More from the Liliaceae family (32 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Yellow trout lily, Cucumber root, Bluebead lily, White fawnlily, White globe lily, Glacier lily, Yellow mariposa lily, Tolmie's pussy ears.

More Idaho flowers

White mariposa lily

Calochortus eurycarpus

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: June–July

Glacier lily

Erythronium grandiflorum

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: April–June

Bride's bonnet

Clintonia uniflora

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile FRPU2.
iNaturalist, Fritillaria pudica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Fritillaria pudica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Fritillaria pudica (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: John Gaskin via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.