Fritillaria Affinis

Fritillaria affinis, the chocolate lily, is a highly variable bulb from the Pacific coast of North America. Slender stems carry whorled leaves and one or more nodding bells patterned in green, yellow, chocolate brown and purple, often with bold mottling or chequering inside. Populations range from near sea level to mountain country, explaining the wide variation in height and colouring seen among seedlings. The species combines subtle flowers with a graceful woodland outline and is especially effective in cool, humus-rich partial shade where the soil stays lightly moist but drains freely.