# checker lily (*Fritillaria affinis*) The checker lily is a beautiful flower with unique checkered patterns on its petals. It grows in the wild and adds color to meadows and forests during springtime. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Chocolate Lily ![checker lily](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Fritillaria_affinis_000.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fritillaria_affinis_000.jpg) ## Appearance The checker lily has unique nodding, bell-shaped flowers mottled with purplish-brown and green hues, creating a distinctive checkered pattern. Its slender stem supports several blooms, making it easily identifiable among other spring wildflowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Fritillaria ## Interesting facts - It's a wild cousin to garden tulips and true lilies, even though it looks quite different! - Its scientific name, Fritillaria, means 'dice-box' due to its speckled, bell-shaped flowers! - Some people call it 'Mission Bells' because its unique flowers hang downwards like tiny bells! - The checker lily's bulb can smell like a fox or skunk, helping to deter hungry animals! ## Special abilities - **Smelly Defense:** The checker lily has a strong, skunky scent that helps it deter hungry animals from eating its leaves and flowers. - **Underground Storage:** The checker lily has a bulb underground that helps it store energy to survive dry periods and harsh winters. - **Camouflage Pattern:** The checker lily has speckled, earthy-toned petals that help it blend into the dappled light of the forest floor. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 2.5-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Black-tailed Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-tailed-bumble-bee) (*Bombus melanopygus*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen from flowers - **Pollinates:** Common Wasp (*Vespula vulgaris*) — visits flowers for nectar ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick flowers without permission, and always be gentle with nature. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify checker lily? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is checker lily? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on checker lily? 2.5-5 cm ### When does checker lily bloom? Spring ### Is checker lily edible? No ### Is checker lily toxic? Mild ### What is checker lily's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is checker lily pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Jáji7em and Kw’ulh Marine Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/j-ji7em-and-kwulh-marine-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Audubon Canyon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-canyon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Los Trancos Open Space Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/los-trancos-open-space-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Mount Pisgah Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-pisgah-arboretum) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Dionisio Point Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dionisio-point-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [American Camp - San Juan Island National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-camp-san-juan-island-national-historical-park) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see checker lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/checker-lily) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Checker Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/checker-lily)