checker lily
Fritillaria affinis
USDA zones5 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterNeeds dry soil
Size0 inches to 4 feet tall
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, winter
- Bloom color
- Green , brown
- Foliage color
- Leaves up to about 6 inches long.
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Checker lily (Fritillaria affinis) is a bulb for borders, woodland gardens, and meadows. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry, sandy or loamy soil. Nodding, greenish-brown, bowl-shaped flowers open on erect stems and attract bees. Plants often skip a year or two of flowering, so plant a colony of several bulbs for good bloom.
Pairs well with Star of persia, Autumn moor grass, and Elfin mother of thyme.
Native range
CA, ID, OR, and WA.