#crownimperial

Plant of the Day

Saturday 4 April 2020

Here the orange flowers of Fritillaria imperialis 'Aurora' (crown imperial) compliment the bark of Acer × conspicuum 'Phoenix' (snakebark maple). This large bulbous perennial is a bulb native to the mountainous regions of Turkey, western Iran and Kashmir. The ring of bell-shaped flowers are crowned by a cluster of leafy bracts, both the flowers and the bulbs have a distinctive ‘foxy’ scent.

Plant of the Day

Thursday 14 March 2019

The beautiful early flowers of Fritillaria imperialis 'Early Fantasy' (crown imperial) with more subtle colourings than the usual bright orange or yellow. These imbricated bulbous perennials thrive in a moist but well-drained soil. The musky scent of the flower and bulb are said to make the plant unpalatable to deer and squirrels.

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 17 April 2018

The recent plant fair at Great Dixter, Sussex, allowed me to meet some new Fritillaria cultivars including the gentle coloured Fritillaria 'Early Fantasy' (crown imperial) with large petals in peach-pink, fading to apricot and the striking Fritillaria imperialis 'Sunset' (crown imperial) with deep orange flowers and a maroon stems. While the yellow flowered cultivar Fritillaria imperialis ‘Lutea’ was providing early interest in another garden. These imbricated bulbs need a well-drained soil in a sunny location and are said to be deer and rabbit resistant.