is ▁grows ▁to ▁about ▁ ▁in ▁height , ▁and ▁be ars ▁lance - sh aped , ▁gl oss y ▁leaves ▁at ▁intervals ▁along ▁the ▁stem . ▁It ▁be ars ▁a ▁prominent ▁wh or l ▁of ▁down ward ▁facing ▁flowers ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁stem , ▁to pped ▁by ▁a ▁' c rown ' ▁of ▁small ▁leaves , ▁hence ▁the ▁name . ▁While ▁the ▁wild ▁form ▁is ▁usually ▁orange - red , ▁various ▁colours ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁cultiv ation , ▁r anging ▁from ▁nearly ▁a ▁true ▁scar let ▁through ▁or anges ▁to ▁yellow . ▁The ▁p end ul ous ▁flowers ▁make ▁a ▁bold ▁statement ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁spring ▁garden ; ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁hem is phere , ▁flow ering ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁late ▁spring , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁a ▁distinct ly ▁fo xy ▁od our ▁that ▁rep els ▁m ice , ▁mol es ▁and ▁other ▁small ▁animals . ▁ ▁Cult iv ation ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁way ▁that ▁the ▁bul b ▁is ▁formed , ▁with ▁the ▁stem ▁emer ging ▁from ▁a ▁de pression , ▁it ▁is ▁best ▁to ▁plant ▁it ▁on ▁its ▁side , ▁to ▁prevent ▁water ▁causing ▁rot ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁bul b . ▁F rit ill aria ▁imperial is ▁requires ▁full ▁sun ▁for ▁best ▁growth , ▁and ▁sand y , ▁well - dra ined ▁soil ▁for ▁perman ence . ▁After ▁flow ering ▁and ▁complete ▁dry ing ▁of ▁the ▁leaves , ▁the ▁st ems ▁should ▁be ▁cut ▁off ▁just ▁above ▁the ▁ground . ▁ ▁The ▁species ▁and ▁the ▁yellow - flow ered