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Herbaceous Perennial

Tricyrtis formosana

toad lily

A rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with erect stems to 80cm, with dark-spotted lance-shaped leaves and lax clusters of star-shaped whitish flowers 2.5cm in width, heavily spotted purple

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Liliaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Tricyrtis are rhizomatous perennials, sometimes stoloniferous, with erect or arching stems with alternate, sometimes 2-ranked leaves and star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers that may be solitary or in terminal or axillary clusters
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Ryukyu Is., Taiwan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil in deep or partial shade. In cold areas, a sheltered position encourages flowers before the first frosts. May need a deep winter mulch if cold but no snow cover

Propagation

Propagate by seed in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe or in autumn. Propagate by division in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove faded flowerheads

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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