Fritillaria imperialis

RHS Plant Profile

crown imperial

Other common names

crown on crown, royal crown flower

Synonyms

Fritillaria imperialis 'Kaiser'

Bulbs

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A robust bulbous perennial with stout, erect stems bearing whorled, lance-shaped leaves and, in early summer, a terminal umbel of bell-shaped orange or yellow flowers beneath a crown of bracts

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

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

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or North–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: Columnar upright
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: Correct
Plant Range: Turkey to Himalaya

How to Grow

Cultivation

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

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown in pots in a cold frame in autumn. Needs exposure to winter cold for germination in spring. division offsets in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and lily beetle

Diseases

Generally disease-free