Types Of Crown Imperial Flowers You Should Know

Crown Imperial is a large showy flower that can be either single or double and produces masses of small star-shaped blooms with yellow centers on a tall stalk. It has a strong strong perfume and is native to South America.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Aurora’

The plant has semi-evergreen foliage which remain a bright green all season long and can be used as filler between other perennials in the border or even as a mass planting in its own right. It is hardy in Zones 3-8 and grows best in average to well-drained soil in full sun. 

This is a beautiful bulbous herbaceous perennial that grows up to 2-3 feet or about 60-90 cm tall. Its hardiness zones range from 5a to 8b and the blooming period of the plant begins during mid spring, lasting all the way to late spring.

Because of its hardiness, it is an excellent choice for USDA Zone 7 and warmer areas. The plant prefers partial shade to full sun but can tolerate some afternoon sun. It does well in ordinary to slightly acidic soil and requires a moisture level of around 70% during the growing season. It is an extremely long-blooming plant, with an average of 40-50 inches of bloom time per year.

Compared to other fritillaria varieties, ‘Aurora’ has the most intense purple coloration on its flowers. This variety has been selected for its vigorous growth habit, continuous flowering and abundance of attractive purple-pink flowers that last for several weeks. It is perfect for cutting and bringing indoors as a winter bloomer. ‘Aurora’ is a popular garden selection because of its hardiness, reliable performance and abundance of attractive flowers.

The plant is incredibly deer and rabbit resistant, probably because the flowers produced by this plant give off a very musky scent and they also contain large drops of nectar which is what drives the animals away. It is most popularly grown in different types of gardens such as cottage gardens, city and courtyard and traditional gardens for the purpose of flower beds and borders.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘The Premier’

The Premier Crown Imperial is quite an impressive plant that grows to an average height ranging between 24 to 36 inches. It is best known for its large, beautiful blooms that adopt a soft tangerine color with light purple veins that stand out amid the orange petals. Atop the stunning flowers is a striking display of lush, green leaves that grow in quite an upright manner.

As I have said before, this plant will not perform well in all soils but does particularly well in alkaline soils. If you are unsure of the pH of your soil, send a sample to your local gardening center and they will tell you what it is right away.

The blooming period of this plant begins during the mid spring season and lasts for almost 2 to 3 weeks. A great thing about the Premier crown imperial plant is that it will continue to flower on a year-after-year in the exact same location, given that is provided with the ideal growing conditions. Some of its key requirements for successful growth include proper and well-drained soils that may be sandy, chalky or loamy. It also requires full sun to grow, but can also adapt to partially shaded growing conditions.

In terms of watering requirements, it needs to be watered once during a period of two weeks. The soil must6 be kept dry between each watering session because too much water can destroy the plant as it is highly prone to rotting.

This type of crown imperial flower has very showy and fragrant characteristics which make it ideal to be grown in cottage gardens and even in your home’s backyard.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Rubra Maxima’

This plant grows to an average height that ranges between 40 to 44 inches. It begins blooming during the spring season and continues to bloom for nearly three weeks. Like almost all other types of crown imperial flowers, this also requires perfectly well-drained soils that aren’t too wet since the plant doesn’t thrive well in wet or super moist soils.

In this case, the soil should have an optimum level of moisture. If the soil is too dry, the plant will wither away and not produce any blooms. If the soil is too wet, then the roots will rot and the plant will not be healthy. A great way to attract beneficial insects like bees, beetles, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybirds. These insects are extremely beneficial since they keep harmful pests in check.

The flushed red, burnt orange flowers are the most prominent and attractive feature of this plant, coupled with a delicate veining that is prominent amid the upright foliage. Unlike other crown imperial varieties, the detailing on the Rubra Maxima is quite beautiful and intricate.These nectaries are shaped quite like human eyes and are intricately covered with long, very prominent and decorative pistils and stamen.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Bach’

This is a dwarf species that seldom grows taller than 24 inches. It has small, slightly cupped, white or pale yellow flowers that are clustered together in tight, tight bunches. This type of flower is ideal for rock gardens, window boxes, and containers. Because of its diminutive nature, it can be used as a single specimen or it can be grouped with other fritillaries of similar height. This flower is a good choice for cottage gardeners and even for homeowners with smaller gardens since it needs less space to grow and bloom. 

This plant prefers growing under the full sun but can also thrive under partial shade, especially in warmer climates and regions. Its water needs are fairly low and it just has to be watered once in two weeks. However, the plant is extremely particular about the type of soil it grows in. The soil types can range from chalky, loamy and sandy, but the most important thing is that it should be well-drained and should contain the ideal amount of moisture that is required for the plant’s successful growth.

However, it does attract bees to a great extent, which is why you probably must have noticed a swarm of bees buzzing around the flowers if you have this plant in your garden or backyard.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Maxima Lutea’

The Maxima Lutea is one of the tallest fritillaries that you can grow as a potted plant. It has large, showy, yellow-orange flowers that grow up to 42 inches tall. This type of flower is ideal for hanging baskets, as a border plant, or even used as a cut flower. This plant needs full sun and an average amount of water to grow and thrive. However, it is very particular about the type of soil it grows in and needs a rich, organic soil with some well-rotted compost added to it.

It is amazingly beautiful and a highly impressive bulbous herbaceous perennial that is largely characterized by its dramatic crowns of bright yellow pendant flowers that are shaped like a bell.

This is quite an exotic hardy perennial that looks mesmerizing when planted along garden borders or flower beds. The beautiful pendulous flowers of this plant are crowned by a whirl of leaf-like bracts where the green and yellow strike against each other in a splendid contrast.

This plant is quite a popular choice among many garden enthusiasts because you can easily spot this plant even from afar, thanks to its big, rich and bright yellow flowers that hoist a crown of plush green foliage.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Brahms’

The Brahms fritillary is another great plant for a border or rock garden, but it has a slightly different bloom time than the Maxima Lutea fritillary. The blooms of this fritillary appear between mid-May and early June, while the blooms of the Maxima Lutea fritillary open up at the end of April and remain open until late in the month of June. Both of these plants make great cut flowers. However, if you want to grow these beauties as potted plants, you need to provide your container with good drainage.

Undeniably, these two plants are extremely similar in appearance. Both have large, lance-shaped leaves that are dark green on the upper side and light green on the lower side. Both have long, thin stems that carry one or more terminal, showy, bell-shaped blooms. These flowers are usually a soft yellow color, but they can also be a bright orange, red or even a pinkish-red.

Formerly, there were several varieties of this plant that had double flowers. The plant now is known as Fritillaria imperialis ‘Brahms’. This particular variety has very double flowers. Fritillaria imperialis ‘Brahms’ is hardy in Zones 4 through 9. It will grow in average to poor soil, but it does best in well-drained soil. Like all fritillaries, this plant should be positioned in full sun.

Fritillaria Imperialis ‘Beethoven’

Fritillaria imperialis ‘Beethoven’ was given to this new hybrid because the plant has a strong resemblance to Beethoven's famous composition, “Ode To Joy.” 

With its gorgeous creamy orange flowers that sit on a dusky purple base, the Beethoven crown imperial flower has caught the eyes of many by its unbelievable beauty and splendor. It is an herbaceous perennial that is quite compact and is popularly known for its dwarf size. It is the perfect type of Fritillaria Imperialis plant for all those who are looking who love these species but were looking to plant something shorter in their garden.

This plant produces a unique leafy crown that boasts bright and lush green foliage. The greenness offers a spectacular contrast against the delicate orange flowers and that is likely to turn a few heads their way! It blooms in great abundance during the mid-spring season and reaches an average height of 24 inches.

FAQS:

Do Fritillaria multiply?

Most gardeners treat Fritillaria imperialis as an an annual, but given the right growing conditions, the bulbs may return or even multiply.  In fertile, moist but well-drained soil, snake's head fritillaria will usually multiply and come back to bloom again each spring.

What does Fritillaria smell like?

Fritillaria bulbs and their flower emit a musky smell. This also makes them excellent for planting around other flowers that deer and rodents tend to like, because they do not care for their smell either! The good thing is that you really have to be close in order to smell them.

Can Fritillaria be grown in pots?

Fritillaria are a stunning accompaniment to any garden display with their elegant drooping bell-shaped flowers that are particularly effective when grown in groups, as well as being versatile enough to add charm to rockeries, borders, flowers beds or even on the patio in pots.

Conclusion

Crown Imperial is easy to grow and requires little care. It can be used as a cut flower or in a bouquet. Crown Imperial is a good plant for filling in gaps between trees or for lining walkways or paths. Above is all information about this flower. I hope this article helps you to choose the right Crown Imperial for you!