Toad Lily

Botanical Name

Tricyrtis spp.

Min Zone

Max Zone

Height

2 to 3 feet

Width

18 to 24 inches

Flowers

Late summer to early fall: lily-like, 6 sepals, white to pale lilac or pink dotted with dark purple or reddish-purple spots

Light

Part to full shade

Soil

Moist to wet, rich in organic matter, slightly acidic

Planting & Care

Soil must not be allowed to dry out
Flowers are very showy, yet small. Site toad lily where flowers can be observed and enjoyed up close.
Tricyrtis formosana varieties will slowly naturalize in a non-invasive manner in the garden by creeping rhizomes to form a dense colony

Problems

None serious

Varieties

Tricyrtis hirta var. alba - white flowers with pink stamens
T. hirta 'Miyazaki' - 2 feet arching stems, flowers speckled in purple
T. hirta 'Variegata' - leaf margins of creamy yellow
T. hirta 'White Towers' - ivory white flowers
T. formosana - oval shapped leaves, pale pink flowers spotted reddish-purple with yellow throats
T. formosana var. amethystina - purplish blue flowers with white throats spotted with red
T. formosana 'Dark Beauty' - taller than species at 3 to 4 feet, purple spotted flowers
T. formosana 'Gilt Edge' - compact form of 12 to 18 inches tall, variegated foliage sporting creamy white to chartreuse margins
T. formonsana 'Samurai' - compact 12 to 18 inches tall, golden-edged foliage, purple spotted flowers with yellow throats