Plant of the Month
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Plant of The Month May 2026: Checkered Lily (Fritillaria meleagris)
Photo Source: EMG
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Checkered Lily (Fritillaria meleagris), a member of the Liliaceae (lily) family, is a reliable spring bulb that flowers from late April to May, producing gorgeous nodding blooms with distinctive purple, pinkish, or white checkerboard patterns on sturdy stems. It pairs well with primroses and miniature daffodils and is considered low-maintenance once established. Best planted in fall, it can grow in a range of soils and light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, although it prefers moist sites but tolerates some dryness. Ideal for drifts, lawns, and woodland edges, it naturalizes well and reseeds readily. Though not native, it blends naturally with ferns, sedges, and hardy geraniums. Let foliage die back after flowering; it disappears cleanly without leaving gaps.
DETAILS: Growing Conditions: Sun: Full Sun, Dappled Sunlight, Partial Shade. Water: Good drainage once established, prefers moist conditions during spring. Maintenance: Low. Zone: 3 – 9 Description / Characteristics: Height x Spread: 25 – 30 cm x 5 - 8 cm. Bloom time and description: Late Spring to early summer. Pests & Disease: Resistant to rodents, deer, and rabbits; susceptible to Red Lily Beetle; generally disease-free. Propagation: Bulbs naturalize by self-seeding, with more abundant blooms in subsequent years. Special value: An unusual plant in GTA gardens (though common in the UK and Europe), it naturalizes easily, requires little maintenance, and provides an early nectar source for bees. Toxicity: Toxic if eaten by pets. Common Names: Fritillary, Checkered Lily, Chequered Daffodil, Dropping Tulip, Guinea-Hen Flower, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Snake’s Head, Chess Flower, Frog-cup. Origin: Native to Europe and western Asia |
Plant of The Month May 2026: Checkered Lily (Fritillaria meleagris)
| plant_of_the_month_may_checkered_lily_-_final.pdf |
Plant of the Month April 2026: Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegan)
| plant_of_the_month_apr_2026_js__palmer_palm.pdf |
Plant of the Month March 2026: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
| plant_of_the_month_march__2026_bloodroot_final.pdf |
Plant of the Month February 2026: Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
| plant_of_the_month_feb_2026_hellebore.pdf |
Plant of the Month January 2026: Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco)
| plant_of_the_month_jan_2024_dragon_tree.pdf |
Plant of the Month December 2025: American Wintergreen (Gaultheria Procumbens)
| plant_of_the_month__december_2025__american_wintergreen.pdf |
Plant of The Month November 2025: Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
| plant_of__the_month_nov_2025_cardinal_flower.pdf |
Plant of The Month October 2025: Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
| plant_of_the_month_october_2025_calendula.pdf |
Plant of The Month September 2025: Anise Hyssop (Agastache Foeniculum)
| anise_hyssop_-_agastache__final_sept_2025.pdf |
Plant of The Month August 2025: Primrose polyantha (Primula x polyantha)
| plant_of_the_month_august_2025_primula.pdf |
Plant of The Month July 2025: Anouk Lavender (Lavandula stoechas “Anouk”
| plant_of_month_july_2025-_anouk_lavender.pdf |
Plant of The Month June 2025: Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
| plant_of_the_month_june_2025_pom_fiddle_leaf_fig.pdf |
Plant of the Month May 2025 - Large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)
| may_2025_pom_uvularia_grandiflora.pdf |
Plant of The Month April 2025: Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) (formerly Dicentra spectabilis)
| plant_of_the_month_april_2025_bleeding_heart.pdf |
Plant of the Month March 2025 – Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
| plant_of_the_month_march_2025_rubber_plant.pdf |
Plant of the Month February 2025 – Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
| plant_of_the_month_february_2025__tuliptree.pdf |
Plant of the Month January 2025 – Chinquapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
| plant_of_the_month_january_2025__chinquapin_oak.pdf |
Plant of The Month December 2024: Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
| plant_of_the_month_dec_2024__ironweed.pdf |
Plant of The Month November 2024: Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis)
| plant_of_the_month_-_nov._2024_cercis_canadensis.pdf |
Plant of The Month October 2024: Fothergilla Shrub. (Fothergilla gardenii)
| plant_of_the_month_oct_2024_fothergilla.pdf |
Plant of The Month September 2024: Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium)
| plant_of_sept_2024_chrysanthemum_final.pdf |
Plant of the Month August 2024: Gray Headed Coneflower/Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
| plant_of_the_month_august_2024_ratibida_pinnata.pdf |
Plant of the Month June 2024: Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
| plant_of_the_month_july_2024_hairy_beardtongue.pdf |
Plant of the Month May 2024: Serviceberry Tree (Amelanchier).
| serviceberry_plant_of_the_month_may_2024.pdf |
Plant of the Month April 2024: Lungwort or Bethlehem Sage/ Pulmonaria sp.
| lungwort_plant_of_the_month_april_2024.pdf |
Plant of The Month March 2024: Ozark witch hazel/Hamamelis vernalis
| march_2024_plant_of_the_month_ozark_witch_hazel.pdf |
Plant of The Month February 2024: Daphne mezereum/February daphne
| plant_of_the_month_feb_2024_daphne_mezereum_.pdf |
Plant of The Month January 2024: Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) Shrub
| red_osier_dogwood_january_2024.pdf |