Toad Lily Care: Information About The Toad Lily Plant

Pink Spotted Toad Lily Plant
toad lily
(Image credit: ouchi_iro)

Toad lily flowers (Tricyrtis) are attractive in the shady landscape, blooming in a range of spotted colors, in the axels of the plant. Flowers may be star or bell shaped depending which variety of toad lily is growing. Flowers appear on cultivars of the toad lily plant, a member of the lily family, a true lily. Toad lily care is minimal if the plant is sited properly.

Toad Lily Flowers

Toad lily flowers are often borne on upright, arching stems. Foliage varies with cultivar, as does the color of toad lily flowers, although most have the spotted appearance for which toad lilies are recognized. The toad lily plant grows taller in soils that are consistently moist.

Tips for Toad Lily Care

Tricyrtis hirta, the common toad lily, is most widely grown in residential gardens. Reaching 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.) tall with funnel shaped flowers that are white with purple spots, this toad lily normally blooms in fall and is hardy to USDA zones 4 through 9. The toad lily growing in deep shade offers the best performance, particularly in hotter areas. Keep the toad lily plant moist and feed with regular liquid food at half strength or with weak organic fertilizer for appropriate toad lily care. Locate the plant where it is somewhat protected from wind. If you've planted toad lily flowers in spring, you may be wondering when toad lilies bloom. Most varieties bloom in fall, but the toad lily growing in more northern climates can be planted in a sunny location and will produce toad lily flowers in late summer. The toad lily plant grows best in an organic, humusy type of soil that is not allowed to dry out. Toad lily care includes keeping the soil moist, but not soggy as the toad lily plant does not do well when roots are in soggy soil. Divide roots of the toad lily in early spring, for more of the attractive plants throughout your shady areas. Now that you've learned how to care for the toad lily and when do toad lilies bloom, perhaps you will try the toad lily plant in your shady garden. There are many from which to choose, each offering unique and eye-catching flowers for the autumn garden.

Becca Badgett
Writer

Becca Badgett was a regular contributor to Gardening Know How for ten years. Co-author of the book How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden, Becca specializes in succulent and cactus gardening.