Hairy Toad Lily
Tricyrtis hirta · Liliaceae
📷 Alpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0
The gardener's calendar
Hairy toad lily is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Scientific name
- Tricyrtis hirta
- Common name
- Toad lily
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Type
- Perennial herbaceous plant
- Flowering
- September to October
- Mature height
- Approximately 100 cm
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Hardiness
- Hardy (down to -15 to -20 °C)
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Tricyrtis hirta loves partial shade (light woodland) and soil rich in organic matter. Divide it every 3 years to maintain vigor and prevent the heart from becoming overcrowded.
The common mistake
Planting it in hot full sun: the leaves scorch and flowering is sparse and late.
The pro's trick
Mulch generously with 5 cm of compost in autumn after the first frost.
Seasonal watch
In September–October, watch out for slugs and snails that love the emerging young flowers.
Care
Exposure
Toad lily prefers partial shade or dappled shade, sheltered from intense direct rays in summer. It appreciates a sheltered spot where filtered light circulates. Avoid intense full sun which risks drying out the foliage.
Watering
Keep the soil fresh and regularly moist during growth and flowering, especially in dry spells. Water moderately in autumn and winter, without waterlogging the soil. A mulch helps maintain moisture and cool roots.
Soil
Choose rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. Enrich the soil with potting compost or well-decomposed compost before planting. Overly compact or chalky soil can slow growth.
Pruning
Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms. In late winter, cut back dry stems completely to ground level, as the plant regrows from the base in spring. No strict pruning is necessary.
Fertilizer
Apply potassium-rich fertilizer in spring to encourage growth. A moderate application of balanced fertilizer in June or July supports autumn flowering. Avoid excess nitrogen which promotes foliage at the expense of flowers.
Pests and diseases
Toad lily is generally robust. Watch out for slugs and snails that enjoy young shoots in spring. Powdery mildew can appear in warm, humid conditions; ensure good air circulation to prevent it.
Did you know?
Toad lily gets its poetic French name from its curious spotted flowers that resemble the bumpy skin of toads. Native to forests and mountainous zones in Asia, this woodland plant fascinated Victorian botanists who created many varieties in the 19th century for shaded gardens in Europe.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Formosan Toad LilyTricyrtis formosana
- Crown imperialFritillaria imperialis
- Tulipa hybrTulipa hybr
- Fritillaria raddeanaFritillaria raddeana
- Gagea luteaGagea lutea
- Wild tulipTulipa sylvestris
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.