Fritillaria imperialis

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Fritillaria imperialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Fritillaria
Species: F. imperialis
Binomial name
Fritillaria imperialis
L.

Fritillaria imperialis (Crown imperial or Kaiser's crown) is a species of flowering plant of the genus Fritillaria, family Liliaceae, native to a wide stretch from Anatolia across the plateau of Iran to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Himalayan foothills. It grows to about 1 m (3 ft) in height, and bears lance-shaped, glossy leaves at intervals along the stem. It bears a prominent whorl of downward facing flowers at the top of the stem, topped by a 'crown' of small leaves, hence the name. While the wild form is usually orange-red, various colours are found in cultivation, ranging from nearly a true scarlet through oranges to yellow. The pendulous flowers make a bold statement in the late spring garden; in the northern hemisphere, flowering takes place in late spring, accompanied by a distinctly foxy odour that repels mice, moles and other rodents.[1]

Due to the way that the bulb is formed, with the stem emerging from a depression, it is best to plant it on its side, to prevent water causing rot at the top of the bulb.[2] Fritillaria imperialis requires full sun for best growth, and sandy, well-drained soil for permanence. After flowering and complete drying of the leaves, the stems should be cut off just above the ground.

The Latin specific epithet imperialis means "showy".[3]

Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which the yellow-flowered 'Maximea Lutea' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4]

Like other members of the lily family, F. imperialis is susceptible to depredation by the scarlet lily beetle.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964. 
  2. ↑ BBC Gardening
  3. ↑ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315. 
  4. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Fritillaira imperialis 'Maximea Lutea'". Retrieved 20 June 2013. 

  • View of the whole plant

  • Fritillaria imperialis at Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands.

  • Fritillaria imperialis at Charlottenburg Palace garden

  • Fritillaria imperialis is a native of the Nochiya region in the Middle East, which lies at the heart of the geographical region known as Kurdistan that overlaps where the borders of Iran, Iraq and Turkey meet.

  • "Corona imperialis, Crown Imperial", in John Edwards, The British Herbal 1769

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