Fritillaria 'Rubra' Crown Imperial Bulbs

Plant Fritillaria 'Rubra' bulbs before the first frost in fall, and they start blooming mid-spring. An heirloom variety, the plant creates an eye-catching display with huge, showy clusters of downward-facing, bell-shaped flowers topped with a pineapple-like tuft of spiky leaves. The flowers are held at a height of 36 to 40 inches on thick, stately stems covered in whorls of lance-shaped, glossy green leaves around their lower half. The bright orange pendants draw plenty of attention from onlookers as well as from pollinators, including bees and butterflies, and they make uniquely beautiful cut flowers for dazzling spring bouquets.

A Fritillaria imperialis cultivar, commonly called crown imperial lily, Fritillaria 'Rubra' is a bulbous herbaceous perennial with an upright habit. The bulbs multiply well, with the plants spreading each year, but Fritillaria 'Rubra' is shown to best effect when grouped or massed in garden beds and back of borders.

Fritillaria 'Rubra' grows well in sunny to partially shady locations with moist but freely draining soils. It prefers some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates and benefits from a winter mulch. Allow foliage to die naturally and remove only after fully wilting. Leaves continue to absorb nourishment that feeds the bulb, aiding future growth and blooming. Deer are not attracted to these plants, and the bulbs and flowers of crown imperial lilies have a unique scent that helps repel rodents too.

Plant Fritillaria 'Rubra' bulbs immediately upon receipt, placing bulbs 8 inches apart and 5 to 6 inches deep and setting them at a 45-degree angle so that the water doesn't sit in the bulbs' stem hole. Water well to settle bulbs, and feed them with a well-balanced fertilizer.

Visit our Bulb Supplies page to find all the tools and materials you need to plant and maintain your bulb plants successfully.