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Fritillaria imperialis

Phonetic Spelling
frih-til-AIR-ee-ah im-per-ee-AH-lis
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Crown Imperial Fritillary is a perennial, 3 to 4 foot tall, flowering bulb that is native to Western Asia and part of the Middle East and typically found in the wild on rocky slopes and hummus rich soils. The plant is very ornamental and produces fragrant orange and yellow blooms in spring. The foliage is also attractive and fragrant, but dies back by early summer as the plant goes dormant. The fragrance is said by some to smell of garlic, others feel it is closer to a fox and the odour is said to repel other wildlife. The genus name is from the Latin word for a dice box and refers to the checkerboard pattern on the petals of another species, F. meleagris. The species name of this plant refers to the plant's circle of flowers, similar to an emperor's crown .

Crown Imperial Fritillary are easy to grow in fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny site. It does well in heavy soil or dry soil and, once the fragile bulbs are planted, they should be left undisturbed. Once established, the plant is drought tolerant. Bulbs are cold hardy and should be planted in the fall in an area that retains moisture throughout the year, about 9 to 12 inches apart, 1 per square foot, to a depth of 6 inches to base of the bulb. Plant the bulbs on their sides to keep water from the stem hole, a situation that could cause bulb rot. Bulbs appreciate a good winter mulch.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

As noted, the plant can become a victim of bulb rot. The plants are also susceptible to leaf spot, rust and mosaic virus.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Lutea'
    Yellow flowers.
'Lutea'
Tags:
#bulb#drought tolerant#colorful#spring flowers#ornamentals#attractive leaves#flowering bulb
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Lutea'
    Yellow flowers.
'Lutea'
Tags:
#bulb#drought tolerant#colorful#spring flowers#ornamentals#attractive leaves#flowering bulb
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Fritillaria
    Species:
    imperialis
    Family:
    Liliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Bulb
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Western Asia, Southern Turkey and Iran to the Western Himalaya
    Distribution:
    Introduced to Austria and Bulgaria
    Edibility:
    Fresh bulbs poisonous but edible after cooking.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Bulb
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Umbel
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Flower Description:
    Showy, fragrant, blooms appear in mid-spring, April/May, and into June. Each stem is topped with orange or red, drooping, bell-shaped flowers, each with a tuft of leaf-like bracts.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Undulate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves (to 6 inches long) with wavy margins appear in whorls around the lower half of the stem.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Description:
    Each bulb produces a 4 foot tall, straight, flowering stem.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Black Walnut
    Deer
    Drought
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Fresh bulbs are poisonous but edible after cooking. They contain steroidal alkaloids
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    steroidal alkaloid
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Seeds