“CROWN IMPERIAL RUBRA MAXIMA”
CATEGORY FRITILLARIA IMPERIALIS
VARIETY CROWN IMPERIAL RUBRA MAXIMA
DESCRIPTION RED
HEIGHT 100 CM
BLOOMS APRIL
QUANTITY PER UNIT 3
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
“CROWN IMPERIAL RUBRA MAXIMA” IS ONE OF THE REDDEST-FLOWERED OF THIS LARGE AND MOST DISTINCTIVE, SPRING FLOWERED BULB; “RUBRA” IS ALSO AMONG THE MOST VIGOROUS. IT IS A BULBOUS, SPRING FLOWERING PERENNIAL. THE NARROW, TWISTING, GLOSSY LEAVES EMERGE IN WHORLS IN SPRING AND ARE SOON FOLLOWED BY A THICK, GLOSSY, RAPIDLY RISING FLOWER STALK THAT PRODUCES AT ITS TIP A RING OF UP TO EIGHT DROOPING BELL-SHAPED RED FLOWERS. ABOVE THIS CROWN OF FLOWERS IS A CLUSTER OF POINTED UPRIGHT LEAF-LIKE BRACTS, RESEMBLING A SPIKY CREST.
“CROWN IMPERIAL LILY” HAS RECEIVED THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT (AGM) WHICH IS FOR PLANTS OF OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
AT THE BASE OF EACH BULB IS A RING OF DARK SHINY SPOTS. THESE ARE THE NECTARIES.
MANY LEDGENDS HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, NOTABLY THAT IT WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD NOT BOW ITS HEAD AS JESUS PAST TO CALVARY AND EVER AFTER BOWED ITS HEAD WITH UNSHED TEARS WHICH ARE REPRESENTED BY THE NECTARIES.
“THE CROWN IMPERIAL LILY” HAS BEEN GROWN IN CULTIVATION IN EUROPE SINCE THE 16TH CENTURY, WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED FROM TURKEY. IT GROWS NATURALLY FROM TURKEY THROUGH PERSIA TO AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN AND KASHMIR, ON CLIFFS, ROCKY SLOPES AND AMONG SCRUB. A LARGE CLUMP OF THESE STATELY PLANTS IS AN IMPOSING SIGHT AND QUITE UNDEMANDING ONCE THE BULBS ARE ESTABLISHED AND MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING SPECIMAN IN MIXED BORDERS. BEES LOVE THEM. THE BULB AND YOUNG LEAVES HAVE A STRONG FOXY SMELL.
PLANT 8” DEEP IN FERTILE WELL-DRAINED SOIL AND FULL SUN. EFFICIENT DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL AND ON THE HEAVIEST SOILS, IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO PLANT THE BULBS SIDEWAYS IN A BED OF GRAVEL.
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