Crown imperial
A bulb of the southeastern Anatolian mountains with hanging bells; its large nectar drops are dilute, so value to bees is limited.
- Nectar
- Low
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,6-1,2 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Crown imperial is a plant of the mountainous regions stretching from around Hakkari, Van, Bitlis and Siirt to Iran, Afghanistan and the Himalayas. Large drops collect in the big nectaries at the base of its nodding orange-red bell flowers; its Turkish folk name, meaning weeping bride, comes from these drops. Because this nectar is very dilute, its value for honey bees is limited; in European gardens even birds have been seen feeding on it. Pollen is collected in moderate amounts.
Flowering
It flowers for 2-3 weeks from late March to May.
Honey and pollen
It makes no contribution to honey production. No reliable record of the pollen load colour was found.
Note for the beekeeper
The bulb contains poisonous alkaloids and has a pungent smell. In Turkey digging up and selling wild bulbs is strictly regulated; use only nursery-grown bulbs for planting.