Wonderful news that your patience has been rewarded! Will you take some photos to share when it blooms? Do you have issues with the dreaded red lily beetles with them? I've avoided planting Fritillarias since I started having issue RLB because the littles buggers are supposed to enjoy Fritillarias along with lilies. I'd love to plant some again since the little checked bells are a favorite of mine.

Yes I do get the red lily beetles on this fritillaria but not yet. I have in other years. It's the last plant I still have in my garden that is vulnerable to them. So I'll have to deal with it.

I don't have a digital camera. Can digitize prints but have never learned how to post photos, true confession time. Sorry :(

Also sorry I misspelled fritillaria in the title of this post. Too excited when typing!

My crown imperials are up and growing fast so hopefully I can post some pictures in a few days. I moved them in 2006 from where my mother planted them 30 years ago and they've been sulking ever since. They grew but bloomed half-heartedly the past couple of years. This year they're looking more like they did in their former bed. I'm surprised the RLBs go after them given their skunky smell.

well this is all interesting. I bought a package of 5 last year, and of course, planted with no special attention to them. The bed is decent but there is no sand.

All 5 have come up and gardenweed, THANK YOU for mentioning the skunky smell - I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Growth looks good but who knows if they will bloom now!

linda0210 - glad the information helped you track down the stench! They really reek, don't they? It's one reason my mother planted them so many years ago--she figured they'd repel critters and they must have because she planted 4 bulbs (all she could afford at the time) and I dug up 40 bulbs. Varmints will eat tulip and other bulbs but they steer clear of fritillaria. Those gorgeous, dramatic flowers stink just like the bulb & the foliage so they're best admired from a short distance.