Tricyrtis - Toad Lilies for the Shade Garden

Tricyrtis - Toad Lilies for the Shade Garden

By Published April 05, 2021 Updated July 05, 2022

Tricyrtis (Toad Lily) is sort of like Smuckers™ jelly...with a name like that, it's gotta be good. As late season flowering shade plants, toad lilies are tops. In the fall, Toad lilies burst open with small, orchid-like, multi-colored blossoms that can last almost until frost. New Toad Lily imports from Japan combine these cool flowers with variegated foliage too. Tricyrtis is an Asian genus of plants that is very popular in Japan, but relatively unknown here in the U.S. Please correct this injustice and hop on down to our website to buy some toad lilies for your garden. Like most woodland plants, Tricyrtis prefers part shade, well-drained soil, plenty of compost, and regular water.

You should plant tricyrtis where their small intricately beautiful flowers can be appreciated up close. The upright varieties should go in the front of the border, while the arching toad lilies are best weeping over a wall. Toad lilies look great in combination with Hosta, anemone, ferns, astilbe, helleborus, Solomon's seal (Polygonatum), carex, and heuchera.

Tricyrtis Trivia : The name Tricyrtis refers to 'Tri' three and 'kyrtos' bumps which are prominent nectar sacs located on the back side of the tricyrtis flower. These sacks are bump-like or wart-like and may also be why Tricyrtis is called Toad lily.

Welcome to Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Gardens. We are a private research and display botanic garden located near Raleigh, North Carolina (USDA Hardiness Zone 7b). Our retail mail order division allows us to make the best perennials from our trials available to gardeners around the world, some of which were developed here, some from our plant explorations, and others from breeders around the world. Between 1988 and 2010, Plant Delights Nursery introduced over 500 new perennial plants to US horticulture. In 2002, we were honored to be recognized by the American Horticulture Society for our lifetime of work in commercial horticulture. This image gallery is but a sampling of the great perennial plants available for gardeners around the world. We do not carry all plants pictured at any one time, but since our mission is to educate and inspire, we hope these images and the linked articles below will expand your garden horizons and interest. You will find an array of other interesting information and fascinating perennials throughout our website...thank you for taking time to visit.

Back to articles