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As befits a member of royalty, the Crown Imperial's history can be traced back over many centuries. Originating in the drier regions of Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan and into the foothills of the Himalayas, it was introduced to Europe by
Soil Condition is Important Plant, Wait for Spring, and be Dazzled What's that funky fragrance? Disclaimer number two: The bulbs are pricey. A number of online and catalog bulb sellers carry Crown Imperial, but it pays to check the price closely. My survey of Internet offerings yielded the following results: One bulb may range in price from $9.95 to as low as $4.00. The lower prices are for a quantity of five. Most sites don't list bulb size, so it's important to ask before you buy. Interestingly, the the $4.00 bulb (when purchasing 5 bulbs) is offered by Colorblends, a reputable source. It was also the only source that mentioned bulb size (baseball). For other sources, consult our DG PlantScout. When you consider the beauty Crown Imperials bring to your garden and the fact that they effectively repel varmints, the price is well worth it.
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Crown Imperials are members of the lily family and grow to a height of about three feet. Leaves are lance-shaped, glossy, and appear at intervals along the stem. Toward the top of the stem a prominent whorl of five to nine bell-shaped, downward facing flowers appears, topped by a crown of small leaves that looks somewhat like the top of a pineapple. 
underneath is moist. Then remove the mulch after flowering. In heavy soils, Crown Imperials struggle to survive, often withering quickly or rotting before the foliage emerges in the spring. If you garden in clay soil, try growing these magnificent plants in raised beds filled with loose, somewhat sandy soil. Failing that, Crown Imperials are stunning grown in large pots and planters, where you can control the composition of the soil (cactus soil works well) and its drainage (pots with one large drainage hole or several smaller ones). 
has a hole going all the way through it from top to bottom. This is normal and doesn't affect its viability. If there is no hole, just an indentation in the top of the bulb, it's very important to plant that bulb on its side, so that water doesn't collect in the depression and rot the bulb. The bulbs will flower for a full month the following April or May, depending on the zone in which you garden. You don't need a lot of bulbs to make a big show. The flowers are so unusual and striking that it only takes three bulbs to create a nice display. Use them to create a focal point surrounded by other spring flowering bulbs. They make an excellent companion for the mid-season tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. 
it's not detectable unless you put your nose right up against a leaf. The flowers have no discernible fragrance. As I write this sentence, I have just returned from a garden sniff test. The orange Fritillaries currently have no fragrance at all (even when I disturb the leaves) and the yellow ones smell only slightly when I put my nose next to a plant. These are not plants that will "perfume" your whole garden with an overpowering fragrance, so a slightly skunky aroma now and then when I work in the vicinity of the plants has not deterred me in the least from growing them. What the smell does deter is the presence of moles, mice, and other rodents. Even deer will avoid them. While we have an abundance of moles and deer in the area, none of them has ever come near a bed with Crown Imperials in it.
When the Blossoms are Gone
