Checkered Lily > National Home Gardening Club

BY: NHGC

There are striped flowers and even some spotted ones, but how about a flower with a tiny checkerboard pattern on each petal? Checkered lily, a spring-blooming bulb that’s planted in the fall, has marvelously detailed reddish-purple and white checkers on its gracefully drooping 1- to 2-inch-long flowers. There’s also a white-flowered form that sparkles when combined with its checkered cousins. Checkered lily’s narrow, grasslike leaves add to this charmer’s casual air.

Common name: Checkered lily, snake’s-head fritillary, Guinea hen flower
Botanical name: Fritillaria meleagris
Plant type: Bulb
Zones: 3 to 8
Height: 8 to 12 inches
Family: Liliaceae

Growing conditions
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Good soil with adequate drainage
• Moisture: Average

Care
• Mulch: Not needed
• Pruning: None
• Fertilizer: Place some balanced bulb fertilizer in the hole when planting, and scratch it into the soil each year in early spring.

Propagation
• By seed or division

Pests and diseases
• No serious problems.

Garden notes
• Checkered lily’s casual looks and grassy foliage make it perfect for naturalizing in lawns or at wood’s edge.
• Checkered lily bulbs are quite perishable and should be planted immediately. Water newly planted bulbs in the autumn to help establish them
• Flowers that aren’t deadheaded may set seeds, which can be planted in the garden. It takes several years for seedlings to start flowering.
• Dig and divide the bulbs every three to four years.

Cultivars
• The naturally occurring variety alba (also listed as ‘Alba’) has pure white flowers.

All in the family
• Checkered lily is a member of the vast lily family, a group best know for its many ornamentals but also home to tasty edibles like onions and garlic.
• One of the showiest Fritillaria species is crown imperial (F. imperialis), which sports tall stalks topped by bright orange or yellow flowers and a topknot of foliage.
• There are a number of other unusual Fritillaria species that are great for rock gardens or bulb gardens. Look for F. acmopetala (olive-green flowers with reddish brown streaks), F. glauca (Siskiyou lily, yellow flowers), F. michailovskyi (purple-brown petals with bright yellow tips), and F. pudica (bright yellow flowers).

Where to buy
• Artistic Gardener Nursery & Design, Eugene, OR, 541-345-4388, http://stores.homestead.com/artisticgardenernurse
• High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM, 800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com
• Old House Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI, 734-995-1486, www.oldhousegardens.com

(Text by Nancy Rose, photo of Fritillaria meleagris courtesy of Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden)

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Current Articles \| Archives \| Search Checkered Lily Plant of the Week BY: NHGC 1 There are striped flowers and even some spotted ones, but how about a flower with a tiny checkerboard pattern on each petal? Checkered lily, a spring-blooming bulb that’s planted in the fall, has marvelously detailed reddish-purple and white checkers on its gracefully drooping 1- to 2-inch-long flowers. There’s also a white-flowered form that sparkles when combined with its checkered cousins. Checkered lily’s narrow, grasslike leaves add to this charmer’s casual air. Common name: Checkered lily, snake’s-head fritillary, Guinea hen flower Botanical name: Fritillaria meleagris Plant type: Bulb Zones: 3 to 8 Height: 8 to 12 inches Family: Liliaceae Growing conditions • Sun: Full sun to partial shade • Soil: Good soil with adequate drainage • Moisture: Average Care • Mulch: Not needed • Pruning: None • Fertilizer: Place some balanced bulb fertilizer in the hole when planting, and scratch it into the soil each year in early spring. Propagation • By seed or division Pests and diseases • No serious problems. Garden notes • Checkered lily’s casual looks and grassy foliage make it perfect for naturalizing in lawns or at wood’s edge. • Checkered lily bulbs are quite perishable and should be planted immediately. Water newly planted bulbs in the autumn to help establish them • Flowers that aren’t deadheaded may set seeds, which can be planted in the garden. It takes several years for seedlings to start flowering. • Dig and divide the bulbs every three to four years. Cultivars • The naturally occurring variety alba (also listed as ‘Alba’) has pure white flowers. All in the family • Checkered lily is a member of the vast lily family, a group best know for its many ornamentals but also home to tasty edibles like onions and garlic. • One of the showiest Fritillaria species is crown imperial (F. imperialis), which sports tall stalks topped by bright orange or yellow flowers and a topknot of foliage. • There are a number of other unusual Fritillaria species that are great for rock gardens or bulb gardens. Look for F. acmopetala (olive-green flowers with reddish brown streaks), F. glauca (Siskiyou lily, yellow flowers), F. michailovskyi (purple-brown petals with bright yellow tips), and F. pudica (bright yellow flowers). Where to buy • Artistic Gardener Nursery & Design, Eugene, OR, 541-345-4388, http://stores.homestead.com/artisticgardenernurse • High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM, 800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com • Old House Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI, 734-995-1486, www.oldhousegardens.com (Text by Nancy Rose, photo of Fritillaria meleagris courtesy of Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden) Comments By greenhouse4 Tuesday, September 20, 2011 1:55 PM I wish the picture was a little bigger when you click on it. Kinda hard to see the pattern. But looks interesting, from what I can see. Post Comment Only registered users may post comments.