Pollinator plant

snake's-head fritillary

Fritillaria meleagris

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Common names

46 names · 23 languages
EnglishYour language
+12 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (22)
Dutch
  • Kievitsbloem[1][2]
  • Wilde kievitsbloem
French
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 花格贝母[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 花格貝母[2]
Czech
  • řebčík kostkovaný[2]
Danish
Estonian
  • kirju püvilill[2]
Finnish
  • kirjopikarililja[2]
German
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Hungarian
  • Mocsári kockásliliom[2]
Japanese
  • コバンユリ[2]
Latvian
  • Rūtainā fritilārija[2]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji margutė[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • szachownica kostkowata[2]
Romanian
  • Lalea pestriță[2]
Russian
  • Рябчик шахматный[2]
Slovak
  • korunka strakatá[2]
Slovenian
  • močvirska logarica[2]
  • Močvirski tulipan[2]
Swedish
  • kungsängslilja[2]
Ukrainian
  • Рябчик шаховий[2]
Welsh
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Fritillaria meleagris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • snake's-head fritillary — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Fritillariablum — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiebitzei — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiewitsei — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiwitzei — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kukukstulpe — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Perlhuhntulpe — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Schachblume — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Schachbrettblume — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checker-board flower — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checkered fritillary — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checkered lily — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • chequered lily — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • fritillary — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • frog cup — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • guinea hen flower — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • snake's head — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Fritillaire pintade — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kievitsbloem — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
[2] Fritillaria meleagris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • snake's-head fritillary — results[22].names[1]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Fritillariablum — results[22].names[33]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiebitzei — results[22].names[32]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiewitsei — results[22].names[34]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kiwitzei — results[22].names[35]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kukukstulpe — results[22].names[36]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Perlhuhntulpe — results[22].names[37]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Schachblume — results[22].names[27]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Schachbrettblume — results[22].names[29]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checker-board flower — results[22].names[24]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checkered fritillary — results[22].names[18]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • checkered lily — results[22].names[21]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • chequered lily — results[22].names[22]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • fritillary — results[22].names[3]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • frog cup — results[22].names[20]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • guinea hen flower — results[22].names[19]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • snake's head — results[22].names[9]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Fritillaire pintade — results[22].names[6]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Kievitsbloem — results[22].names[2]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Рябчик шахматный — results[22].names[4]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Močvirski tulipan — results[22].names[5]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • řebčík kostkovaný — results[22].names[7]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Vibeæg — results[22].names[8]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • kirju püvilill — results[22].names[10]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • rutelilje — results[22].names[11]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • kirjopikarililja — results[22].names[12]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Paprastoji margutė — results[22].names[13]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • kungsängslilja — results[22].names[14]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • コバンユリ — results[22].names[15]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • 花格贝母 — results[22].names[16]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • 花格貝母 — results[22].names[17]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Рябчик шаховий — results[22].names[23]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • močvirska logarica — results[22].names[25]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • szachownica kostkowata — results[22].names[26]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Rūtainā fritilārija — results[22].names[28]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Mocsári kockásliliom — results[22].names[30]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Lalea pestriță — results[22].names[31]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • korunka strakatá — results[22].names[38]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • britheg — results[22].names[39]; taxon id 55797; Fritillaria meleagris.
[3] Fritillaria meleagris — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Chequered Lily — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Chess flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Frog cup — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Guinea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Guinea hen — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Hen Flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Leper Lily — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(7); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
  • Snakeshead Lily — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(8); heading: Common Name(s):; Fritillaria meleagris.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Fritillaria meleagris is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Liliaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.2–0.3 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.15–0.23 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Arching; Erect; Open

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe to W. Siberia.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low
Plant profile

About this plant

snake's-head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) is a bulbous plant. It flowers from April to May.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Fritillaria meleagris — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP). This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 2176985; ID 6JQ94; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2176985; ID 6JQ94; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Fritillaria meleagris — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering season
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Fritillaria meleagris — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1178851; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 428603, 428604, 428605, 428606, 428607, 428608, 428609, 428610, 428611, 428612, 428613, 428614, 428615, 428617, 428618, 428619, 428620, 428621, 428622

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.