The imperial crown (Fritillaria imperialis) belongs to the lily family and can easily survive the Central European winter outdoors with its bulbs deep in the ground. To ensure the most magnificent inflorescences possible in the first year, you should plant the bulbs directly after flowering.
When is the best time to plant imperial crown?
The ideal planting time for crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) is in late summer and autumn, preferably from August to September. You should plant the bulbs deep and sunny and ensure good drainage to avoid waterlogging.
Planting in late summer and autumn is ideal
When planting, the imperial crown bulbs should be placed in the soil so that they:
- Stand as sunny as possible
- be planted deep enough
- with appropriate drainage you don't have to suffer from waterlogging
If the imperial crown bulbs are planted in the ground by August or September at the latest, then the plant has enough time to develop numerous roots until winter. The first flowers usually appear the next spring, before a period of dormancy follows in the summer. It can be visually appealing to surround imperial crowns with fewer tall flowering plants so that the temporary bare spots or wilting inflorescences do not disturb the flower bed.
Tips & Tricks
If the imperial crown is propagated from seeds, it can generally be sown all year round. However, the seeds should always be sown relatively fresh, and they also require a certain cold phase before germination.
