Checker Lily (Fritillaria affinis, Fritllaria lanceolata), also known as Mission Bells, has a native range that spans from British Columbia in Canada to California and Oregon. Checker Lily can be found in a variety of typically dry habitats that undergo seasonal damp, including meadows, prairie, open woodlands and slopes, and coastal bluffs. An exquisitely beautiful flower featuring bell-shaped blooms that are checkered or mottled with subdued patterns of reddish-brown, purple, and yellow that vary among individual plants and populations, Checker Lily is a threatened species in WA state due to habitat loss, livestock grazing, and poaching.
 
The blooming period typically occurs in late spring to early summer. During this time, the flower stems rise above the foliage, displaying the beautiful checkered flowers.  Checker Lily has a specialized relationship with native bees, with certain species of bumblebees being the primary pollinators due to their unique skill in foraging from the upside-down flowers, which likewise make their pollen-laden anthers easily accessible by the bumblebee. While not a major food source, the green seed pods are occasionally consumed by deer and the corms are sometimes foraged by chipmunks and other small rodents. 
 
Checker Lily has long-standing cultural significance among some Native American peoples. Mature plants produce many small corms that can be cooked in a manner similar to rice and have a similar appearance (providing the colloquial name for the closely related Black Riceroot, Fritillaria camschatcensis) were traditionally harvested and used as a food source by certain tribes. The consumption of these bulbs played a significant cultural and dietary role and contributed to the sustainable management of plant populations. During harvest, often the mature corms would be collected while the small “daughter” corms would be removed and returned to the freshly broken soil. This had the cumulative effect of not just preserving populations, but rapidly multiplying the harvestable food supply. 
 
Checker Lily prefers well-drained soils with moderate moisture levels. It thrives in a variety of soil types, including sandy loam, loamy, and clay soils. The presence of organic matter in the soil is beneficial for its growth and development. Seeds can be surface sown in bulb trays or in place from fall to late winter, and lightly covered with sand or fine soil. Plants in their 2nd year and older require dry dormancy through summer and should only be watered once or twice per month until fall rains return. Seedlings are small, singular, grass-like leaves that require 3-4 years to reach blooming maturity.  With proper conditions and care, Checker Lily will establish itself and form perennial clumps, continuing to bloom and grace the landscape for years to come.