Photo by L.A. Jackson
Bins at garden centers are brimming now with a wide variety of fall-planted, spring-blooming bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and crocuses, which are normally enough to make most gardeners downright giddy. But if you want to take your giddy up a notch, try something totally different and definitely dazzling by searching for a treasure known as crown imperial fritillaria (Fritillaria imperialis).
Unlike many other fritillarias that have drooping, bell-shaped blooms in singular arrays, the crown imperial form is a full-blown floozy. With a packed cluster of dangling flowers on a sturdy three- to four-foot stem topped off by a frilly green, crown-like tuft, this perennial bulb checks all the boxes to be a belle of the springtime botanical ball.
The fancy blooms of this fritillaria come in equally flashy colors, including the simmering reddish-orange of the cultivar Rubra Maxima and the rich yellow of Lutea Maxima. These two selections tend to be the easiest to find in local garden centers at this time of year. If your search comes up empty, they are offered online by e-sources such as K. van Bourgondien (dutchbulbs.com) and Brent and Becky’s Bulbs (brentandbeckysbulbs.com).
Like many fall-planted bulbs, crown imperials perform better basking in full sun but won’t mind high, light shade in the late afternoon. After buying, don’t wait to plant—these bulbs (which can be rather large) prefer to settle in sooner rather than later in the autumn garden.
The bulbs should be set about six inches deep and nine inches apart in a well-worked site heavily amended with compost or commercial soil conditioner for good drainage because they will rot in soggy soil. This drainage requirement means potting these pretties is also a possibility, but do use a deep container that is at least eight inches in diameter for each bulb.
Speaking of rot—I know, lovely subject—a nifty trick to help prevent this yuck from destroying your crown imperials is to plant the bulbs sideways because each has a single, indented stem port that can turn into a collection point for water, which could encourage moisture-induced decay.
These beauties do have one offsetting feature: they stink. It is not overpowering, however, and actually provides a positive benefit because deer, rabbits and squirrels will leave these plants alone, which greatly increases the chances of crown imperial fritillarias adding their special bling to your springtime garden.
October in the garden
• If starting a compost pile has been on your garden “to do” list, now is a great time to give it a try because, between lawn clippings and fallen leaves, you have the perfect ingredients to start a batch. For faster decomposition, grind the leaves up with your lawn mower first.
• Begin cutting down spent herbaceous perennials, but don’t be so quick to whack back echinaceas and black-eyed Susans. Their seedheads are welcomed fall food for birds such as cardinals, juncos, chickadees and goldfinches.
Tip of the month
Psst! Wanna know a secret about me? I am a cheap gardener. So much so that, at this time of year, I prowl garden centers for end-of-growing-season sales on remaining plants, with perennials getting my special attention. Such plants might look raggedy after being on display outside through the long summer, but I check the roots for white or light tan coloration—this usually means there’s still spunk left in these leftovers. I don’t admire my bargains too long, however, because autumn is a prime time to plant perennials (as well as woody ornamentals) in the garden.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.