Missouri Botanical Gardens Plant of Merit!

Add delightful whimsy to the garden with the Checkerboard Flower, Fritillaria meleagris. Charming nodding flowers with unique checkered patterens bloom in purple or white. Native to damp meadows, the Checkerboard Flower is one of the few bulbs that happily thrives in areas with drainage issues.

The heirloom plant has been a favorite in the garden since the 16th century. Also know as snake’s head fritillary, snake’s head (the original English name), chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, Lazarus bell, checkered lily, checkered daffodil, drooping tulip and fritillary. Deer and rabbit resistant, in fact some say that deer hate Frittillaria so much that it can be used as a natural repellent in the garden.

Named a Missouri Botanical Gardens Plant of Merit and given the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Named a Plant of Merit by the Missouri Botanical Gardens

Plants of Merit are plants selected for their outstanding quality and dependable performance for the lower Midwest.

Plants of Merit Selection Criteria

• Easy to grow and maintain
• Not known to be invasive in our area
• Resistant or tolerant to diseases and insects
• Has outstanding ornamental value

Plant bulbs in soil that has been amended with organic matter like Cotton Burr Compost. Plant bulbs 3″ deep and 4-6″ apart, about 3-4 a square foot. Plant in full sun to part shade. Plant bulbs at a 45º angle to keep water from sitting at the top. Keep soil moist to encourage root formation.

Fertilizer: To get your bulbs off to a healthy start we recommend at planting applying an application of Espmoa Organic Bio Tone Starter Plus.