Crown Imperial, Imperial fritillary, Crown Imperial Fritillary
Fritillaria imperialis
Family: Liliaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Orange, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Fritillaria imperialis is a BULB growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Cliffs, rocky slopes and amongst scrub, 1000 - 3000 metres in Turkey. On humus rich soils, usually in gullies and shaded sides of large rocks, 1800 - 2600 metres in Kashmir.
W. Asia - W. Himalayas, Turkey and Iran.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Bulb - cooked. A minor source of starch. Some caution is advised since there are reports of toxicity.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The bulb is diuretic, emollient and resolvent. It is also a cardiac poison. It has been used as an expectorant and also to encourage increased breast milk production. The fresh plant contains the toxic alkaloid 'imperialine'.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emollient: Softens the skin, causing warmth and moisture.
Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
Resolvent: Breaks down tumors. This might be placed under antitumor.
Other
Rating:
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Massing, Seashore, Specimen, Woodland garden. Easily grown in a moderately fertile soil. Prefers a heavy soil without any disturbance, not even hoeing. Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position or the shade of deciduous trees or shrubs. Succeeds in drier soils and is drought tolerant once established. Plants succeed in most fertile soils, avoiding pure chalk, heavy clay and boggy sites. The dormant bulbs are very hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -10°c. A very ornamental plant, there are some named varieties. The flowers smell of wet fur and garlic. Bulbs should be planted 10 - 12 cm deep in July on their side with sharp sand beneath them to ensure that they do not rot. Special Features: Attractive foliage.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring. Protect from frost. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible and can take a year or more to germinate. Sow the seed quite thinly to avoid the need to prick out the seedlings. Once they have germinated, give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not suffer mineral deficiency. Once they die down at the end of their second growing season, divide up the small bulbs, planting 2 - 3 to an 8cm deep pot. Grow them on for at least another year in light shade in the greenhouse before planting them out whilst dormant. Division of offsets in August. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out in the autumn. Bulb scales.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 7-9
Growth: Slow
Soil: Medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
The bulb is poisonous raw, it contains low concentrations of a toxic alkaloid.