Fritillaria 'Early Sensation'

Fritillaria 'Early Sensation' is a very beautiful early variety of crown imperial that offers fresh flowers in March and April, with a yellow-green chartreuse colour. The tall and proud floral stem reaches a height of 1m and carries a crown of large campanulate flowers, topped with a beautiful tuft of green leaves. This imposing bulb always makes an impression in sunny flower beds. With a strong personality, it finds a place in a contemporary or exotic setting, alongside narcissus or tulips, in a harmonious colour scheme.

The Imperial Fritillary belongs to the lily family. This species is very cold-resistant, in well-drained soil, and originates from eastern Turkey, northern Iraq and Iran, and is widespread up to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a large scaly bulb, whose vegetation emerges from the ground in late winter and disappears after flowering. The 'Early Sensation' cultivar reaches a height of about 90cm to 1m when in bloom. The green stem is tinged with reddish-brown in its upper half and only carries leaves in its lower half. They are narrow and pointed, shiny green, about 12cm long and arranged in whorls. They somewhat resemble lily leaves. The plant emits an odour that may be unpleasant. Flowering takes place in March-April, at the top of the stem. It takes the form of a crown composed of 6 to 20 pendant bell-shaped flowers, measuring 6cm in diameter.

The Imperial Fritillaries are surprising and their atypical silhouette is eye-catching. Use them to add height to your flower beds or to fill a rock garden. Grow them in pots to enjoy them on your terrace. The toxic bulb emits an unpleasant odour that repels rodents, but this odour is not perceptible once the bulb is buried. Crown Imperials are often planted among carpets of tulips, narcissus, or muscari, from which their tall floral stems proudly emerge. Combine 'Early Sensation' with plants with decorative foliage such as lady's mantle or fennel, which harmonise well with its chartreuse colour. The fritillary occupies a prominent place in floral compositions immortalised by the great Flemish masters such as Jan Brueghel the Elder.

In the past, the crown imperial was called "tears of Mary." Its Persian name means "the flower that weeps" because the fritillary has large nectaries in the centre of its petals that produce large drops of nectar.