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snake's head fritillary | Plant Finder | Fill My Garden

Home/Plants/Bulbs

Plants > Bulbs

snake's head fritillary

Fritillaria meleagris

★ RHS AGM

Genus: Fritillaria
Family: Liliaceae
Common Names: chequered daffodil, chequered lily, drooping tulip, guinea flower, guinea-hen flower, leper lily, snake heads

About this plant

F. meleagris is a bulbous perennial to 30cm in height, with lance-shaped, greyish-green leaves and 1-2 nodding, bell-shaped purple flowers, the tepals tessellated with pale pink in a checkerboard fashion. Widely naturalised in Britain, but probably not a true native

Growing Information

Height

0.1-0.5 Metres

Spread

0-0.1 Metre

Hardiness

Foliage

Deciduous

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full SunPartial Shade

Soil

ClayChalkLoamSandy

Acid

Not Currently Available

This plant is not currently stocked at any garden centres on our platform.

Alkaline

Neutral

Moisture

Poorly DrainedWell Drained

Aspect

West FacingNorth FacingEast FacingSouth Facing

Exposure

ShelteredExposed

Care Guide

Cultivation

Grows well in most fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soils and prefers cool, moist summers. Handle the fragile bulbs carefully and plant at four times own depth. Suitable for rock garden, raised bed or naturalising in grass

Pruning

No pruning required

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown in pots in a cold frame in autumn. Needs exposure to winter cold for germination in spring. Division of offsets can be done in late summer

Pests

Prone to slugs and lily beetle

Diseases

Generally disease free

Garden Uses

Uses

Ground CoverWall Side BordersWildflower Meadow

Planting Places

Outdoor

Season of Interest

Spring

Size & Characteristics

Height

0.1-0.5 Metres

Spread

0-0.1 Metre

Habit

Climbing

Time to Full Height

Five To Ten Years