| Description | A stately plant that produces a large cluster of yellow or orange flowers. Will reach 24"-30" in height. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (frit-il-AR-ee-uh) |
| Plant Type | All Plants, Bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizoms, etc. |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-7 |
| Sunlight | full sun |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | Some sources list the soil requirements as rich well drained others as well drained and rather poor. In my experience the well drained aspect seems to be the most important. Planting in water logged soils will lessen the chances for success. |
| Flowers | A cluster of pendant flowers of yellow, orange or vermillion are found near the top of the plant. Tear-like drops of nectar form at the tips of edges of the petals. Flowers have a musky smell but don’t seem to be bothersome unless you stick your nose in the flower or a light breeze wafts the smell away from the flower. |
| Leaves | The plant forms a single stalk. The bottom half is surrounded with whorls of glossy, strap-like leaves. The flowers are topped with a cluster of pineapple-like leaves. In the early spring the tip emerges as a bronze colored spear. |
| Stems | Bulbs are large, with scales and somewhat smelly. The smell maybe an evolutionary trait to keep away pests. Stem is bare above the leaves until it merges with the cluster of pendant flowers. |
| Dimensions | The plants reach 24"-36" and should be planted 8" deep 2 bulbs per square foot. Plant a drift of 3 bulbs 10"-12" on center for an imposing display. This is a rather expensive bulb but well worth the cost. |
| Native Site | Native to Asia and the Middle East. |
| Misc Facts | Introduced to Europe in 1554 by Ogier Chiselin de Busbeccq. He also is credited with the introduction of tulips. Many of the cultivars we use today first appeared in the trade around the middle 1600's. |
| Author's Notes | In one my gardens, the Crown Imperial Fritillaria is planted around the edge of a Forsythia. Each year it pushes through the shrub blooms and disappears among the branches. |
| Notes & Reference | #57-Spring Flowering Bulbs (Dr. A.A. DeHertogh), #59-Naturalizing Bulbs (Rob Proctor), #60-The American Gardeners World of Bulbs (Judy Glattstein) |
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