Crown imperial

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; flowering is usually best in sun.

Water

Keep moderately moist during spring growth, then relatively dry once the leaves die back. Avoid waterlogged soil in any season.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil, preferably neutral to alkaline. Heavy clay needs substantial drainage improvement or a raised bed.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Mid to late spring; hanging orange, orange-red or yellow bells arranged around the top of the stem.

Foliage

Glossy, narrow green leaves cluster along the lower stem, with a separate leafy crown above the flowers. Foliage dies back in early summer.

Growth

Fast seasonal growth; bulbs multiply slowly.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (1.1 m)

   full size

About 1 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant fresh bulbs promptly in early autumn, about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) deep and 12 in (30 cm) apart; avoid shrivelled or soft bulbs.
• Water during dry spring weather while shoots and leaves are growing, but stop routine watering after the foliage dies back.
• Apply a balanced bulb fertiliser as shoots emerge, following the label rate.
• Keep winter mulch loose and away from emerging stems; do not bury the planting under wet, compacted material.
• Stake tall stems early if the site is exposed to strong winds.
• Lift and separate crowded bulbs only when flowering declines, after the foliage has died back; replant promptly.

Pruning. Remove spent flower heads unless you want seed. Leave the stem and leaves until fully yellow, then cut them off at ground level.

Early spring

Apply bulb fertiliser as shoots emerge and check young growth for slugs and snails.

Mid spring

Water during prolonged dry spells and support stems in windy positions.

Late spring

Remove fading flower heads, leaving the green stem and foliage intact.

Early summer

Cut down yellowed stems and reduce watering as bulbs become dormant.

Summer

Divide crowded clumps while dormant, keeping bulbs out of the ground for as little time as possible.

Early autumn

Plant new bulbs in a sunny, freely drained position and mark their location.

• Plant small groups through a spring border to raise orange or yellow flowers above tulips and daffodils.
• Use repeated groups in formal beds for a strong, upright rhythm.
• Place behind low spring flowers such as forget-me-nots so the tall stems remain visible.
• Combine with later-growing hardy geraniums or peonies that help conceal the dying foliage without heavily shading emerging shoots.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, Formal, English country, Cottage garden, Traditional and English manor.

Plant it with: Tulips, Daffodils, Forget-me-nots, Hardy geraniums, Peonies and Lady's mantle.

Wildlife: The nectar can attract bees and other spring insects. Deer and rabbits usually avoid it, but it is not a dependable repellent for protecting neighbouring plants.

• Bulb rot: wet soil, particularly during dormancy, can destroy bulbs. Improve drainage or move to a raised bed, and discard soft or rotting bulbs.
• Poor flowering: shade, shallow planting, immature bulbs or removing green leaves too soon can reduce bloom. Provide more sun, check planting depth and let foliage die naturally.
• Lily beetle: where present, red adults and dark, debris-covered larvae chew leaves. Inspect regularly and remove beetles, eggs and larvae by hand.
• Slugs and snails: young shoots may be eaten. Check emerging growth and use hand removal, barriers or locally approved slug controls.

Toxic if eaten by people, cats, dogs and horses. All parts should be treated as poisonous, especially the bulbs, which contain toxic alkaloids; ingestion can cause digestive upset and potentially serious poisoning. Keep bulbs away from children and animals, and seek medical or veterinary advice promptly after ingestion.

• Persian fritillary (Fritillaria persica)

  Its many small bells run up a long flower spike, usually in dark purple, rather than forming a single ring beneath a leafy crown.

• Pineapple lily (Eucomis comosa)

  It also has a leafy tuft above its flowers, but these are small, star-shaped and packed along a thick summer-flowering spike above broad basal leaves.

The epithet imperialis means 'imperial', and the common name refers to the crown-like tuft of leaves above the ring of flowers.

Propagation. Separate offsets from mature bulbs during summer dormancy and replant promptly; small offsets may take several years to flower. Seed can be sown fresh outdoors, but seedlings are slow to reach flowering size and may differ from the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Fritillaria imperialis

Native range

Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey and West Himalaya.

Measured

Average height 85 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.