The imperial crown (Fritillaria imperialis) has been valued as a garden plant for centuries due to its magnificent flowers. However, the plant also has an interesting side effect on the beauty of the garden, namely as a biological weapon in the fight against annoying moles and voles.
How does the imperial crown work against voles in the garden?
The imperial crown (Fritillaria imperialis) can repel voles in the garden by exuding its intense smell of predator urine. The effectiveness is limited, so imperial crowns should be planted extensively and in larger numbers to serve as a biological vole deterrent.
The smell has a deterrent effect on greedy rodents
If the leaves and especially the bulbs are consumed, the imperial crown has a toxic effect on people and also on various animal species. This is probably also the reason why the imperial crown warns possible pests of its poison with an intense smell of big cat urine. Since voles and moles often cause a lot of damage unnoticed under a blanket of snow, imperial crowns are particularly suitable as a biological defense. After all, the winter-hardy imperial crown bulbs, which are planted at a depth of around 20 centimeters, remain in the ground all year round and can therefore develop their unsettling smell for rodents.
No guarantee against voles
Some hobby or professional gardeners may complain, not entirely without justification, that the imperial crown is not exactly a miracle weapon when it comes to repelling voles. Just as, on the one hand, there is no absolute guarantee that rodents will stay away from the flower bed with imperial crowns kept and cared for in it, on the other hand, the effect of the imperial crown smell is locally very limited. The imperial crowns can only be used effectively as a protective barrier against voles if you propagate the plants in larger numbers and distribute them as widely as possible in the garden or along the fence.
The sensible use of the imperial crown as a vole deterrent
Even if the imperial crown may be more limited in its effectiveness against voles than special poison bait (€12.00 on Amazon) or snap traps, in any case this method is not only legal and humane, but also absolutely organic. When planting as a flowering plant and vole deterrent in the garden, you should consider the following points if possible:
- Spatial distribution of individual or grouped imperial crowns in the flowerbeds
- Choosing a sunny location without the risk of waterlogging
- Combination with plants that bloom at different times and at different heights
Often certain roots, tubers and bulbs magically attract voles in the garden. Protect these vole delicacies from rodents' access by planting them with a few imperial crowns.
Tips & Tricks
Since the imperial crown slowly withers after flowering until autumn, you should cover its base with other medium-high plants in the bed.
