Fritillaria imperialis 'William Rex'

RHS Plant Profile

crown imperial 'William Rex'

RHS

Synonyms

Fritillaria imperialis 'Darkest of All'

Bulbs

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A bulbous perennial, to 90cm tall, with a dark-coloured, upright, sturdy stem bearing whorls of green lance-shaped leaves. In spring, terminal umbels of nodding, bronze-red and orange, bell-shaped flowers are borne and topped by leaf-like bracts

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Fritillaria are bulbous herbaceous perennials with lance-shaped or linear leaves and nodding bell-shaped or bowl-shaped flowers that may be solitary or in racemes or umbels
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows well in most fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soils and prefers cool, moist summers. Handle the fragile bulbs carefully and plant at four times own depth. See crown imperial cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division of offsets in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and lily beetle

Diseases

Generally disease-free