I did do a search and saw a few other posts and it appears that they're a bit picky, so I'm not sure if I should try them since they're a bit expensive.

If anybody would still care to post some basic tips on planting and care for them in case I decide to try 1, it'd be appreciated!

Thanks!
Todd In Philly

Todd, try Home Depot in the fall. They usually carry them for about $5.00/bulb. The ones I bought there were very healthy. Just check them out and make sure (you can see thru the bag) they are plump and white, with no brown/black spots on them. And above all, plant them on their SIDES! That was my mistake - planting them upright. These particular frits (can't speak for the rest) do not like to get water in their crowns, hence, if planted on their sides, the water won't get in there. Oh, and plant them right away. They don't like to lie around (will dry up).

Susan

Not that I'm an expert by any means, but I did find that they rot easy (read I killed my first few). I planted the next batch in bonsai soil after digging the hole and they have done well the past 3 years.

On a slightly different note: I am getting in some more exotic ones and wanted to grow them in pots for a couple of years before risking the ground. Anyone growing these in pots in a cold north climate that can provide suggestions?? Good growing :o) Dan

Dan, I don't grow F. imperialis in a pots, but did this first time this season with F. persica.
Main reason is that they did not last for me more than two years in my permanently mulched and constantly watered clay. Another reason is that I don't want to have a bare spot for the whole season after they done blooming considering the fact that I have a very limited full sun space.
So, I made a two-bottoms pot where space between bottoms was filled with gravel and grit, but pot itself was filled with enriched potting soil. Pot was buried in soil in a fall and overwintered well. Bloomed right on schedule in a second week of May.
Then I removed pot and all from its hole and replaced it with the same size pot of lilies.
Pot with fritillaria went to a remote area where it will be not getting any water the whole summer except from the mother nature.
Jury is still out of how they'll bloom next year, but I'm trying to mimic their native habitat conditions (good drainage and minimal amount of water during the summer) and think it should work.

I have tried planting these for 2 years, did all that was suggested, added sand to the hole, planted them on their sides, etc. I had one show up in the spring, no bloom & didn't reappear the next year. I doubt I plant any more unless they really come down in price, even $5 is too much if they never bloom. I have also read they don't have a very nice scent, so I guess I am not as entranced by their appearance as I once was.

Hi EGO,

Thanks for the help. I e-mailed Jane McGary who is a top grower of these guys and she keeps all of her speices (90) in pots. What she said was similar to what you describe, except she grows them under a bulb frame and she has no "soil" in her mix. She uses 1 part sifted forrest humus, 1 part pumice and 2 parts coarse sand and sinks the pots into a bigger pot as you descibe. I will give this a try and see how it goes....a rather expensive experiment I'm afraid.

NGraham, Yes, they do smell bad (imperialis that is). I've had the standard forms (orange and red) for a couple of years in the garden, They are planted in bonsai soil (pine bark and chick grit) in the hole.....drains faster than anything you have ever planted in! I'm getting in the yellow and white variegated forms and am too cowardly to try them in the ground the first year as these are spectacular looking and are considerably more than $5 each.

Thanks all :o) Dan

Bonsai soil, makes sense. I may try them again if I find them locally. I really like their look.

Thank you to all who posted information.
As I was going to order a couple of Crown Imperial but I am not willing to spend the money after reading the information in this forum.
Thanks again

Just a quick note. Colorblends.com has these at 5 for 17.00

not a bad price.

Here is a link that might be useful: colorblends.com

I tried them one time and they never grew. I didn't know about planting them on their side, so maybe they rotted. I was afraid to try them again because of their expense.

I stick all my dryland fritillarias (F. imperialis hybrids, F. eduardii, F. persica, F. raddeana) into my "sandhill"--a berm of sand covered with landscape cloth and river rock. That's where my new purchases (F. recurva, F. eastwoodiae) from Jane McGary are going, too. Since there is very little rainfall here naturally, and even less in summer, it works well for me.

hello check out bloomingbulb.com i just got my bulbs today nice firm healthy bulbs got 5 red 5 yellow about 25$ what a deal!!i have never planted these myself i hpoe all goes well

Who would of thought this thread would come back to the top!!! Anyway, 2 years later these Frits are easy to grow in pots and they multiply reasonably well also. I started with 4 F. imperialis 'argenteovariegata' (the white lined leaf form......different from the yellow lined leaf form by the way....not a spelling error) and after 2 years have 7 that just went back in their pots after a summer in dry soil in the garage. They started to push their roots so they were ready to have another go at it :o) Dan

We have had great success with both the orange and yellow imperialis in our zone 3 garden

Note: more than often they don't do much the first year. They will probably come up but then fail to bloom...BUT...the second or third year and onwards they put on a great show with flowering off shoots.

Because they don't do much the first year we plant them deep and a couple inches of gravel/soil mix beneath them. Planting deep also ensures they don't emerge too early (as they tend to do) and get zapped by late season cold. The new stems do fine to about minus 3 to 5 but, if any colder, we put pots over them until temps warm up.

We always look forward to their early height and colour in the garden. One of our favorites and a real conversation piece.

Got delivery last night from bloomingbulb.com for crown imperials (5 each of red & yellow) and they were moldy to the point of some being black and in pieces! Very disappointed. Going to find out very soon if their "100% guarantee" holds true. Disappointed...was looking forward to testing out "deer repellant" tease in ads.

I have grown it and love it. I found it really cheap at www.vanengelen.com It is a wholesale company that I use. No I do NOT have any connections with them, but I do wish I owned them! :o)

The only really successful example of Fritillaria imperialis I know of around here is in a low area under sumacs by a road. The clump has been there for years and is huge and impressive. I suspect that there used to be a house there. It gets completely shaded and goes dormant a month after flowering but that seems to be enough for it. The soil is well-drained and friable but stays moist most of the season due to its being in a low spot.

I planted a few Frits from HD this October..didn't know about tjhe side tip, so we'll see.

Jeanne...Vaneng/Scheepers are great bulb supplier. TRhe bulbs I got from them were very nicely packed and very nice size. I plan to purchase a few hundred more this fall.

They don't keep well, and by the time you get them, they are moldy. I mail ordered some. I also bought a few, and I got one to sprout, but it never bloomed. Very disappointing. I think you need to grow them with gravel underneath. It's all very complicated.

I grew a couple in partial shade and a couple in the sun last Spring. The ones in full sun bloomed for me and the ones in shade did not. They seem to like drier soil better than moist.

Hi- I just received my order of 5 yellow crown imperials. I plan on planting on the side of a flower bed (I keep the bed well mulched and moist, so i think it might be to wet for the C.P.)in the lawn area. The soil there is very sandy and drains well. So with that said sould I still buy some Bonsia mix, or just add some forest laom, or add some gravel? All worried now that i have read this site. Also, should i make sure the grass dose not grow back over the site i pick (this area of the lawn tends to brown in the summer from lack of water.