Scientific name: Fritillaria meleagris
Family: LILIACEAE
Common names: “Checkered lily” “Snake’s head fritillary” “Drooping tulip” “Guinea flower” “Guinea-hen flower” “Leper lily” “Snake heads”
Plant Type: Bulb
Conditions:
Zone: 3-8
Light: Full sun – light shade
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile, humus rich
Moisture: Moist well drained, moderate water in summer dormancy
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 1′ W naturalises
Leaf and Stem shape: Lance-shaped, greyish-green leaves
Flower: 1-2 nodding, bell-shaped purple flowers, the tepals tessellated with pale pink in a checkerboard fashion
Pruning: None
Maintenance: Don’t dig up the bulb, harvest the seed, seldom need dividing
Landscape use: Flower beds, woodland meadow
Propagate: By seed and bulblets
Pests & Disease: None
Comments: ~AGM winner,
Cultivars: F. affinis – Native “chocolate lily”
