Rounded buds appear in early Spring, perched on top of the upright stems and encased with a collar of ruffled foliage. They open to reveal showy and large (often 7cm across) scarlet flowers, each of which has a near-black eye surrounded by a ring of creamy white. Showy additions to pots or borders, they will kick the season off, before dying back and making way for the summer stars.
Garden care: Avoid overwatering once they have started to die back in summer, and if possible apply a generous layer of dry mulch in autumn.
