Pendulous lily flower with chequered pattern - purple or white forms. Flowers April-May. It is a member of the lily family and many local names reflect this origin (e.g. Oaksey lily, Leper lily).
Distribution:
Snake’s head fritillary is now a rare plant found on less than 30 sites in the UK. It cannot tolerate grazing in spring and so relies on the meadow system for survival.
Soil moisture tolerances:
It is found on sites with more than 20 weeks dry soil per year and 10-20 weeks wet. So it is quite tolerant of drought conditions, and slightly less tolerant of water logging.
Soil fertility tolerances:
It is typically found on moderately fertile sites (10-25 mg P/kg) or P index 1-2.
Traditional medicinal use:
Other names are chequers, Oaksey lily, Leper’s bells and Sulky ladies