Plant Finder

perennial

Toad Lily

Tricyrtis hirta

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Toad Lily (Tricyrtis hirta) at Wannemaker's Home & Garden

Toad Lily flowers

Toad Lily flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  24 inches

Spread:  18 inches

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  4b

Other Names:  Toadlily

Description:

This selection forms an attractive mound of green leaves; orchid-like white flowers with plum purple spotting that can become blotchy and irregular toward the petal tips; greatly appreciated close up; excellent as a cut flower

Ornamental Features

Toad Lily has white orchid-like flowers with plum purple spots at the ends of the stems from early to mid fall, which are interesting on close inspection. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its oval leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Toad Lily is an open herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Spreading

Toad Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Toad Lily will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Garden  Naturalizing 
Applications
Flowers 
Ornamental Features

 

This Plant Finder tool is an online catalog representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact the store for current availability. It does not include our entire inventory of plants, so be sure to visit us to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.