Common Name: toad lily
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Liliaceae
Native Range: Japan
Zone: 6 to 8
Height: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: August to October
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Wet Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Prefers moist, organically rich, humusy, slightly acidic soils in part shade. Soil must not be allowed to dry out.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Tricyrtis macrantha, commonly called toad lily, is an herbaceous perennial with a weeping habit. It is native to Japan (Shikoku) where it is often found growing in shady ravines or cascading over rock formations. It typically grows in a clump to 12-18” tall with arching but sometimes decumbent brown-hairy stems spreading or cascading to as much as 36”. Stems are clad with ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, parallel-veined, cordate-based, glossy, dark green leaves (to 4” long). Nodding, pendulous, thick tepaled, bell-shaped, bright yellow flowers (to 1 ½” long) are speckled with reddish-brown inside. Flowers bloom on long pedicels from the upper leaf axils and stem ends in late summer to early fall (September-October).
Genus name comes from the Greek words tri- meaning three and kyrtos meaning humped as the bases of the three outer petals are swollen and sacklike.
Specific epithet comes from the Latin word macranthus meaning large flowered.
Common name has a number of possible origins, the simplest one being the resemblance of the spotted flowers to the skin of some toads.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs and snails are occasional visitors.
Uses
This weeping tricyrtis is a shade-loving plant that is best sited in an elevated position so that the cascading stems and drooping flowers can be fully appreciated. Trail from the top of a rock wall. Containers. Woodland gardens, shade gardens or naturalized areas.