Nature really comes up with the most fascinating things. The checkerboard flower, for example, is such a phenomenon. It is a real eye-catcher.
In 1993 the checkered flower (Fritillaria meleagris) was named flower of the year. It belongs to the lily family and is closely related to the imperial crown. The checkered pattern of the bell-shaped flowers is the hallmark of this increasingly rare early bloomer. The natural range of the plant, also known as lapwing, is in France, the foothills of the Alps or the Balkans. In Central Europe, the plants do not seem to have their natural origins, but have multiplied through naturalization or outplanting. Unfortunately, the checkered flower has become truly exotic in the home garden, which is why every plant lover can only be advised to help preserve the filigree plant with its sublime flowers by planting the checkered flower.
Caution!
Despite their filigree and delicate appearance, the plants are poisonous. This affects not only the bulbs, but also all other parts of the plant. Most of the toxins are in the onions. These must be kept safe from children and pets. In beds or pots, you should make sure that children do not come into contact with the plant and pick it off.
Find the right location
When choosing the location, it is worth taking a look at the natural range of the checkered flower. The occurrence extends from Western Europe via Normandy to Romania. The plants also occur occasionally in Germany. The checkered flower is mainly found on wet meadows in Brandenburg and the Franconian area. The occurrence is largely limited to nature reserves.
When choosing a location, the most important thing is moist soil. Pond edges or natural streams are ideal. Even if the plants prefer wet feet, waterlogging should not occur. Therefore, you need to ensure good soil permeability.
The checkerboard flower is also very good inrock garden or as underplanting of trees and shrubs. Group plantings express the variety of flower colors particularly intensively. You can plant up to 15 checkered flower bulbs per square meter. However, direct plant neighbors like checkerboard flowers less. They prefer to stand alone. However, early bloomers such as snowdrops or snowflakes do well in the company of checkered flowers. You should still keep a planting distance of about half a meter.
The ideal location in keywords:
- partial shade
- moist
- Solitia or group plantings
Selecting the ideal substrate
Consistent moisture is very important for checkerboard flowers to thrive. However, there must be no waterlogging. If the irrigation water cannot drain off, this will attack the bulbs, which will eventually begin to rot. So make sure the soil is well drained. You can achieve this by adding clay and coarse sand to the soil.
Checkerboard flowers generally do well with a neutral ground. However, they also tolerate a slightly acidic environment. Poor soil should be treated with compost before planting so that the checkered flower receives enough nutrients from the start to be able to grow well.
Keywords for the right substrate:
- well drained
- nutrient rich
- loose
- neutral to slightly acidic
- moist
When is the best time to plant?
Since the bulbs of the checkered flower do not take root well, late summer is the ideal time for planting. This allows the plants to develop a stable root system before winter. Alternatively, you can also plant the checkered flower in spring.
How to prepare the soil?
First loosen the substrate and remove weeds, stones and old root remains. Since the checkered flower needs a nutrient-rich substrate, you should upgrade the soil accordingly. The addition of compost, guano or horn shavings provides a rich long-term fertilizer and the plants can grow well accordingly.
Tip: Sand provides a good substrate for planting flower bulbs.
What should be considered when planting?
You should proceed quickly when planting. The bulbs of the checkerboard flower dry out quickly in the air. The planting depth is about eight centimeters. As a rule of thumb, the planting holeproportional to the length of the bulb, twice as deep. Sufficient irrigation is carried out quickly after planting.
Tip: When planting in groups, the planting distance is about 30 centimetres.
Planting Instructions
- Select location.
- Loosen and prepare substrate.
- Create planting holes.
- Put in the flower bulbs quickly.
- Close planting holes.
- Water the soil well.
What to do after planting?
It is important that you keep the soil evenly moist. The substrate should always feel damp and must not dry out on the surface. If you plant the checkered flower in August, the roots will start growing in September. A little patience is therefore required until the flower bulbs have developed their roots.