Toad Lily Flowers

Toad Lily flowers belong to the lily flower family, the Liliaceae. The scientific name of the genus is Tricyrtis. Well-known species include: Tricyrtis hirta, Tricyrtis formosana, Tricyrtis flava, Tricyrtis latifolia, Tricyrtis macropoda, and Tricyrtis miyazaki.

These flowers are native to Asia: From the Himalayas to eastern Asia. They grow in China and Japan and on the Philippines and on Taiwan.

These are gorgeous garden plants! They are typical herbaceous, perennial shade plants.
They are excellent for shade and woodland gardens. They are well suited for beds and borders, ground covers and along watersides.

Lily, Hardy Japanese Toad The Japanese Hardy Toad Lily has creamy-colored flowers with vivid purple markings. One stem will produce 4-5 branches and each will have 2-3 flowers. A lavish bloomer, it comes to full bloom in August and continues to October. Japanese Hardy Lilies also make dramatic bouquets and are on of the hardiest perennials. They thrive in almost any soil. Drought tolerant. Deer resistant. Plant in partial to full shade. Good for cut flowers.

These plants are very robust and easy to grow and demand only low maintenance. Plant them in a location with full or partial shade. They prefer moist, well-drained soil. Do not let the soil dry out, they simply like to have their feet wet!

Tip: Snails devour all Tricyrtis plants at high speed (especially Tricyrtis hirta and Tricyrtis latifolia)! Better keep an eye on those annoying snails…

The plants grow up to 1 meter (3 feet) in height and spread 1 meter (3 feet).

The flowering period is in fall, from June to October/November, depending on the species.

Toad Lily flowers are very elegant and showy; they resemble the flowers of an orchid. The flowers are white, violet, red and yellow, all sprinkled with darker spots (except the pure white flowers).

Actually, the flowers make me think that this plant originated in a fantasy book! I am amazed, over and over again, what nature is able to evolve!

Tricyrtis plants are able to withstand cold in winter, yet, only to a certain point. If you live in a colder area it is a good idea to cover the plants somewhat, with a layer of dry leaves for example.

Propagation: You can propagate them by division in early spring while they are still dormant. Or grow them from the seeds in a cold frame. It is best to plant them in spring, because then they have enough time to take roots and adjust to the new growing location.

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