Plants: Fritillaria meleagris - Guinea-Hen Flower

Very easy to grow and very easy to get to bloom. Fantastic markings on each petal gives the plant it's common name, "Guinea Hen Flower". It is also known as the "Checkered Lily", "Rattlesnake Lily", and "Snake's Head Lily." The proper name for this plant of many names is "Fritillaria meleagris."

One of our favorites, checkered Lilies are winsome, charming, with bell-shaped blooms in shades of purple (and occasionally white) marked with a faint checkerboard pattern. Native to damp meadows and woodlands in Europe, these bulbs like partial shade and abundant moisture, which makes them highly sought after among gardeners who have less than perfectly drained soil. An excellent choice for naturalizing in a moist, shady garden. This is a heirloom plant dating back to 1572. Height: 1215in. Hardy in zones 49.

If deer are a problem don't be afraid to plant the Snakes Head Lily. The deer just don't like it.

Publisher: Hirt's Gardens