Toad lilies

Plant family

Lily family (Liliaceae)

Cultivation Break

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Semi-shaded

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Medium

Light germinator

Germination temperature

15 - 20 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

35 cm

Row spacing

40 cm

Seeding depth

0.5 cm

Instructions

Description

As a plant genus, toad lilies (bot. Tricyrtis) belong to the lily family (bot. Liliaceae). There are 23 known species of this genus worldwide. Many of these plant species are extremely rare and can only be found in small and limited areas. Plants of the genus Tricyrtis are shade plants with a delicate appearance reminiscent of orchids. These attractively flowering plants are popularly known as garden orchids. The name of the plant genus Tricyrtis consists of the Greek words tri for three and kyrtos for convex. It is derived from the three sepals on the plants. The species of the genus Tricyrtis are characterized by a long flowering period. This flowering is abundant and starts late in the year. Depending on the plant species, Tricyrtis plants begin to flower between the months of June and August. The flowering period lasts until the first frosty days in the fall month of October. Distribution The plants of the toad lily genus are native to eastern Asia. The distribution area extends from the Himalayas through the People's Republic of China to Taiwan and Japan. One plant species is native to the Philippines. Growth The species of the genus Tricyrtis grow as perennial herbaceous plants. They form rhizomes as survival organs. These are creeping, often short and only occasionally longer. The average height of the plants is around 80 centimeters. Under ideal conditions at their location, plants of this genus can reach heights of up to 150 centimeters. Tricyrtis species form upright or ascending stems. They are simple. Depending on the species, the stems branch at the top. Leaves Toad lilies are characterized by numerous medium green leaves. They are alternately distributed on the stems of the plants. Leaf stalks are short or barely present, so that the leaves almost sit on the stems. The leaf blades are thin and simple. They are ovate to elliptical in shape. The upper ends of the blades appear pointed to pointed. The base of the blade partially or completely covers the stems of the plants. The leaf veins run parallel. There are numerous leaf veins. Flower The conspicuous flowers of toad lilies are solitary on the plants. They rarely form racemose inflorescences. They are hermaphrodite, trifoliate and trumpet- to bell-shaped. When cut through the axils, the flowers form congruent halves. For this reason, botanists refer to the flowers as radially symmetrical. The six bracts of the flowers are free and unequal. They usually appear bent back at their upper ends or spread out widely. The petals are often not held in place. Three bracts form the outer perianth, they are short spurred or sack-shaped. Many purple spots appear on the white or yellow petals of the perianth. Three stamens form two circles. The somewhat flattened stamens are located at the base of the perianth. At the top, these stamens converge to form a short tube. The three carpels form an upper ovary with three chambers. There are numerous ovules in each of the chambers. The pistil on the flowers is columnar. Fruit Plants of the toad lily genus form capsule fruits. These are triangular and broadly cylindrical. As scattered fruits, they open at the opening lines marked in the ovary. This is how they release the seeds. Use Toad lilies are suitable as an ornamental plant in borders and garden beds. They look decorative in containers on balconies and terraces. They provide long-lasting decoration as a cut flower in a vase.

Growing tips

🌞 Location & soil - Semi-shady to shady, light-flooded shade under woody plants - Protected from hot midday sun - Cool location - Protected from the wind, but airy - Humus-rich, loose - Slightly acidic to neutral - Nutrient-rich - well drained, permeable 🌱 Sowing & planting - Pre-cultivation: February/March - Substrate: fine, humus-rich sowing soil - Direct sowing: Autumn after seed maturity (cold germinator) - Germination temperature: 15-20 °C - Germination period: 21- 84 days - Sowing depth: 0.5 cm (light germinator) - Planting time: Spring or fall (mid/end of May) - Planting distance: 30-40 cm - Row spacing: 35-50 cm - Water, keep evenly and constantly moist 💧 Care - Watering: evenly moist, no waterlogging, mulch layer, Water regularly during dry periods, do not allow to dry out - Basic fertilization: Compost or well-rotted manure in spring - Fertilization: little (plant manure), do not overfertilize - Withered plants can be removed regularly - Slug protection recommended 🌾 Pruning - No pruning necessary during the season - Withered plants can be removed, but not necessary - Do not cut the plant back immediately after flowering - Foliage may naturally retract → strengthens the rhizome - Only cut when the foliage has completely yellowed - Remove old, dry stems close to the ground in late winter or early spring ❄️ Winter protection - Cover the root area with leaves, straw or brushwood - Additional fleece if winter is very cold - Keep potted plants frost-free or well protected over winter - Avoid waterlogging 🌿 Good neighbors - Ferns, funcias, astilbes, Solomon's seal, fairy flowers, purple bells - Caucasian forget-me-not, lungwort, honeysuckle, woodruff, blueberries - Japanese maple, Asian dogwood, rhododendron, azaleas, rock pear - Waldsteinia, hazel grouse, ysander, helichrysum, hellebore, hydrangea - Lettuce, spinach 🚫 Bad neighbors - Thyme, sage, lavender, limb herbs, sedum, stonecrop, yucca - Bamboo, goutweed, ivy, fast-growing grasses, reeds - roses, coneflower (Echinacea), cockades - Catmint, phlox, yarrow, marigold, cosmos, begonia - Oregano, savory, lemon balm, dill, coriander, wormwood - Chives, onions, garlic, chard, carrots, bush beans - Parsnips, beet, black salsify - Potentilla, spirea, summer lilac, low roses, currants - Ornamental cherry, hawthorn, apple tree, pear tree - Runner beans, field beans, maize, turnips, rape, celery - Lovage, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, zucchinis, cabbage - Hazelnut, elderberry, privet, forsythia - Walnut, maple, birch, willow, chestnut, weigelie - Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries - Mint, comfrey, sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke 🍂 Diseases - Powdery mildew - Leaf spot diseases - Root rot 🐌 Pests - Aphids - Largemouth weevil - spider mites - Caterpillars - snails