Slender bulb with pendant chequered purple or white bell flowers on wiry stems in mid-spring. Once carpeted English damp meadows, now mostly seen at a handful of protected sites.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −40 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–8 | −34 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–3 | −15 °C to 0 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Flowers in April — a classic mid-spring marker in old wet meadows
- Best naturalised in short grass in damp meadow conditions — won’t persist in dry summer borders
- Once common in southern English flood meadows, now confined to a few protected sites — county flower of Oxfordshire
- Source only nursery-propagated bulbs — wild populations have been heavily reduced
Pet caution: Snake’s head fritillary is listed as potentially harmful to cats and/or dogs. Keep pets from grazing on it, and contact a vet if you suspect your animal has eaten some.
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Related plants
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