Crown Imperial. The very sturdy flower stem has narrow and tapered glossy leaves on the lower half. The lily-like flowers, shaped like a trumpet, are accompanied by a crown of green leaves. Each veined petal has a clearly visible honey stamp on the inside. You can enjoy the delicious honey flavour by tapping the flower lightly once in the early morning, after the dewdrops have done their work (keeping your hand underneath, of course) to taste this delicious liquid. The typical 'fox smell' of imperial crowns, which is said to keep moles, field mice and voles away, is caused by one volatile substance, a sulphurous terpene, produced by the plant. Around the mid-16th century, the first fritillaries were planted in Leiden, via Vienna, Austria, by Carolus Clusius. Origin: Turkey, southeastern and western Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Kashmir mountains. To get good flowering for several consecutive years, it is important to provide the fritillaries with a good amount of nutrition and organic matter every year. Replanting is only necessary if the groups have become too massive.