Tricyrtis hirta

Description

Tricyrtis hirta

Japanese Toad Lily. Japanese Toad Lily. Delightful late flowering perennials with white flowers which are heavily spotted with mauve and purple, borne in the leaf axils. Height 90cm. For humus rich soil in sun or shade. Japanese Toad Lily August to October. 60cm with arching stems with flowers arranged in each leaf axil, up to 2 dozen on some stems. Paler in flower than T. formosana

Tricyrtis are all very hardy, most tolerating temperatures down to -20^oC, though tolerance of prolonged low temperatures is enhanced by snow cover or an deep organic mulch. They all like a humus rich, moisture retentive soil in partial shade. Sun can be tolerated provided there is adequate moisture to compensate. This will confer the benefit of earlier flowering. tricyrtis come from areas of the world that receive abundant rain in the growing season.

The common name of Toad Lily is a reference to the spotted nature of the flowers, similar to a Toad’s warty skin, and may allude to some species being used to kill toads.

Tricyrtis – from the Greek words, ‘treis’ = three & ‘kyrtos’ = convex, a reference to the bag like nature of the base of the outer petals.