Snake's head fritillary

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; light shade helps keep the soil cool in warmer areas.

Water

Keep evenly moist during autumn rooting and spring growth. Avoid prolonged summer drought, but do not leave bulbs in stagnant, waterlogged soil.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil with drainage; tolerates clay that does not remain waterlogged. Suitable for mildly acidic to alkaline soil.

Height

0.7-1.3 ft (0.2-0.4 m)

Spread

0.25-0.5 ft (0.08-0.15 m) per bulb

Flowers

Mid-spring; usually March-May in the Northern Hemisphere and September-November in the Southern Hemisphere. Purple, pinkish-purple or white bells, usually with a checkerboard pattern.

Foliage

Narrow, grey-green leaves spaced along slender stems; foliage dies back in early summer.

Growth

Moderate seasonal growth; colonies expand slowly by offsets and seed.

Care needed

Low

• Plant fresh bulbs promptly in autumn, about 3-4 in (8-10 cm) deep and 3-4 in (8-10 cm) apart; the unprotected bulbs dry out easily.
• Water during dry spells while roots, shoots and leaves are active.
• Apply a thin layer of leaf mould or compost in autumn without burying emerging shoots.
• In grass, delay mowing until the leaves have yellowed and any wanted seed has ripened.
• Lift and separate crowded clumps after the foliage yellows, and replant immediately.

Pruning. Remove spent flowers only if you do not want seedlings. Leave all green foliage intact, then clear it away once fully yellow and dry.

Autumn

Plant bulbs promptly and water them in; use local seasons in either hemisphere.

Late autumn

Top-dress with leaf mould or compost and check that the planting area drains freely.

Early spring

Protect emerging shoots from slugs and water if the soil begins to dry.

Mid-spring

Check leaves and flowers for lily beetles where these occur; remove beetles, eggs and larvae by hand.

Late spring

Leave seed capsules to ripen if you want the colony to spread.

Early summer

Once leaves have yellowed, mow naturalised grass or divide crowded clumps.

• Naturalise in damp meadow grass for scattered spring colour before the first mowing.
• Plant beneath deciduous trees where spring light reaches the ground and leaf litter keeps soil cool.
• Repeat small groups along a shaded path so the checked flowers can be seen closely.
• Combine white-flowered plants with primroses and pale narcissi in a quiet spring border.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Woodland, Wildflower, Romantic rose garden and White garden.

Plant it with: Primroses, Cowslips, Snowdrops, Summer snowflakes, Small narcissi and Lady ferns.

Wildlife: Flowers provide spring nectar and pollen for bees, including bumblebees. Meadow plantings also allow grassland habitat to remain undisturbed until early summer.

• Slugs and snails can eat emerging shoots and flowers; check at dusk, remove them and reduce nearby hiding places.
• Scarlet lily beetles can strip foliage, particularly in the UK and affected parts of North America; remove adults, eggs and larvae regularly.
• Bulb rot develops in stagnant, waterlogged soil; improve drainage and discard soft or rotting bulbs.
• Poor flowering or disappearing bulbs can follow dried-out planting stock, summer drought or persistently warm winters; buy fresh bulbs, maintain suitable moisture and choose another plant where winters are too mild.

Treat all parts, especially the bulbs, as poisonous to people, cats, dogs and horses. They contain toxic alkaloids; ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and potentially serious effects. Keep bulbs away from children and animals, and seek medical or veterinary advice after ingestion.

• Checker lily (Fritillaria affinis)

  Usually has greenish-yellow and brown-purple checked flowers, often several on a taller stem, with broader leaves commonly arranged in whorls;

• Fox's grape fritillary (Fritillaria uva-vulpis)

  Its smaller, narrower bells are dark brown-purple with distinct yellow tips rather than the clear checkerboard pattern of snake's head fritillary.

Fritillaria comes from the Latin for a dice box, while meleagris refers to a guinea fowl, whose spotted plumage recalls the flower's markings.

Propagation. Separate bulb offsets after the foliage dies back and replant promptly. Alternatively, sow fresh ripe seed outdoors in pots and leave exposed to seasonal cold; germination can be slow, and seedlings commonly take about 4-6 years to flower.

Accepted botanical name

Fritillaria meleagris

Native range

Altay, Austria, Belarus, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Central European Rus.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 28 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.