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Crown Imperial
Fritillaria imperialis
Crown Imperial blooms from April through May.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Crown Imperial
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 5–8. Expect it to reach about 3 ft tall and 1 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Crown Imperial
Crown Imperial is a fall-planted bulb: get it in the ground 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes, typically September or October in zone 6, the middle of its hardy zones 5 to 8. It pays you back the following April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in September. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Crown Imperial get?
3 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult1 ftwideSee Crown Imperial in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
Where these facts come from
Crown Imperial's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 11 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenFritillaria imperialisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionFritillaria imperialisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Plants For A FutureFritillaria imperialisheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- BBC Gardeners' WorldFritillaria imperialisheight, spread, sun and trait tags
- Brent and Becky's BulbsFritillaria imperialis 'Red Beauty'height, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Fine GardeningFritillaria imperialisheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- Van EngelenFritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima'height, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Holland Bulb FarmsRubra Red Fritillaria, cultivar 'Rubra Maxima'height, hardiness zones and sun
- RHSFritillaria imperialisheight, spread and sun
- Chicago Botanic GardenSmart Gardener: Fritillariaheight and sun
- University of Georgia ExtensionB918 Flowering Bulbs for Georgia Gardensheight
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
5 more colors in the Fritillaria group
Same genus, similar care - pick the one you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Fritillaria group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkered Lily | Purple | Apr–May | Zones 3–8 | Part sun | 12 in × 3 in |
| Checkered Lily Alba | White | Apr–May | Zones 3–8 | Part sun | 12 in × 3 in |
| Crownthis page | Orange | Apr–May | Zones 5–8 | Full sun | 3 ft × 1 ft |
| Crown Imperial Lutea | Yellow | Apr–May | Zones 5–8 | Full sun | 3 ft × 1 ft |
| Crown Imperial Rubra | Red | Apr–May | Zones 5–8 | Full sun | 3 ft × 1 ft |
| Persian Lily | Purple | Apr–May | Zones 5–8 | Full sun | 3 ft × 0.5 ft |
Good to know about Crown Imperial
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
The bulb is poisonous: it holds toxic steroidal alkaloids and can cause stomach upset if eaten. Handle it as a toxic bulb and never eat it. per NC State
Worth knowing
It defends itself two ways: a skunky musk warns animals off before they bite, and toxic alkaloids in the bulb poison any that eat it anyway. per NC State and BJSTR
Plant it on its side?
Extension guides say tip the bulb sideways so water cannot pool in its hollow top and rot it. RHS says drainage matters more; bulbs right themselves anyway. Do both. per NC State and RHS
Interplant to protect other bulbs
Interplant it among tulips and other bulbs that voles, squirrels and deer target, so its smell helps deter them from the whole group. Do not rely on it alone. per Iowa State and Clemson
Summer-dormant, leaves a gap
After flowering the foliage yellows and dies back and the bulb goes fully summer-dormant, so a strong display is followed by a bare gap. per NC State
Weaker in later years
Crown imperials often bloom less well in later years. Add a few fresh bulbs to the clump each fall, and leave established bulbs undisturbed. per Chicago Botanic
What pairs well with Crown Imperial
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Blue Oat Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Purple Coneflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Red Hot Poker
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; echoes the orange.
Delphinium
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back; taller at 4.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Little Bluestem
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; leafs out to hide the ripening bulb foliage as it dies back.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; purple against orange, for contrast.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 6.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
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