Checkered Lily ##VERIFIED##
Native to Europe, where its bulbs usually enjoy very moist locations, Fritillaria meleagris (Checkered Lily) grows up to 14-16 in. tall (35-40 cm) in a beautiful display of checkered, pendant, bell-shaped flowers atop slender stems. Flower color varies from reddish-brown to purple or white. The delicate flowers are complimented by lance-shaped, grass-like bluish-green leaves. Not bright or showy, this unusual spring flower invites a further look!
checkered lily
Checker lily, also known as chocolate lily, is a spring bulb named for its extraordinarily unique flower color and pattern. Unlike anything else in your northwest native garden, checker lily sports up to five nodding flowers with unmistakable brownish-purple pixelated mottling that are adored by gardeners and insect pollinators alike.
A very distinct perennial, the Checkered Lily is aptly named for it's vivid checkered patterning! This perennial blooms in spring on tall stems. Plants are hardy, and gently multiply each year to form colonies. Can be used for naturalizing.
F. meleagris is a perennial with alternate linear, gray-green leaves, upper leaves being more narrow. The flowers are borne on stalks. Each stalk bears singular, sometimes paired, broadly, bell-shaped, pendant, purple, pinkish purple, or white flowers, strongly checkered with purplish-pink. They are up to 1 3/4 inches long. Good for naturalizing in grass. Native to S. England, N. Balkans, and W. Russia. The large, skunky-smelling bulb is rodent-repellent, and is very succeptible to bulb rot if improperly stored. For best results, plant bulb on its side, at a depth 4 times the diameter of the bulb. Water moderately while in growth, but reduce to almost dry when bulb is dormant. For container plants, repot yearly in fresh soil. Second year and older plants should be fertilized monthly with half strength fertilizer.
Flowers of the checkered lily (Fritillaria meleagris) are typically 4 cm in size. They are single, pendant, and bell-shaped, but with square shoulders that give them a slightly boxy look. Flowers are held on surprisingly thin, delicate, grey-green stems reaching 30-45 cm, with narrow grass-like foliage spaced out along the stem.
This is Fritillaria meleagris, also known as snakes head fritillary, chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, leper lily (because its shape resembled the bell once carried by lepers), Lazarus bell, chequered lily, checkered daffodil, drooping tulip, and simply fritillary. Growing to about 1 foot high this plant likes to live in sun to light shade. It blossoms from late Winter until the middle of the Spring. This blossom is striking with its violet, white, and maroon squares working in harmony to give this lily its checkered appearance. This makes it a great selection for a dried plant. This plant is deer resistant and its flowers are pollinated by bees. USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8
Any of the above-mentioned minor bulbs would work well. Others might include Fritillaria meleagris (guinea hen flower or checkered lily); Chionodoxa lucillae (glory of the snow), lilac blue; crocus (many colors); Galanthus (white snowdrops); Leucojum vernum (spring snowflakes); Anemone blanda (windflowers), many colors of small daisylike flowers on short stems. 041b061a72