Toad lily
Tricyrtis hirta
ホトトギス
Liliaceae
A native perennial of moist part-shade in mountain
Native Container Wildlife value: medium Maintenance: low perennial
Planting calendar (Tokyo baseline)
Pick a region in the header to shift the window.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting | ||||||||||||
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Fruiting |
Tokyo baseline: months 3, 4, 10
Growing requirements
| Light | part shade |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Soil | humus-rich loam, evenly moist |
| Hardiness | Tokyo lowland |
| Container | Yes · Min container size: 15 L |
| Maintenance | low |
| Common issues | None |
Where to source
Seedlings, divisions, or seed. Native plant suppliers in Japan are the right starting point.
- Search Japanese suppliers for seedlings · native-plant suppliers
About this native
A native perennial of moist part-shade in mountain
habitats throughout Honshū and west. The distinctive
autumn flowers, spotted with purple, are named for the
resemblance to the breast markings of the lesser cuckoo
(hototogisu). Visited by native bees and hover flies.
Easy in damp shade; the clump spreads slowly.
Usage
Shade-garden groundcover; tea-ceremony cut flower. Valuable
for autumn bloom when little else is flowering.
Practical info
| Native | Yes |
|---|---|
| Edible | No |
| Wildlife value | medium |
| Attracts |
|
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Sources
Primary references, publications, and observation data this page draws on. How sources are picked is described in About the data .
- Plants of the World Online — Tricyrtis hirta
- ヤサシイエンゲイ (京都けえ園芸企画舎 / Kyoto Kee Engei Kikakusha, 2026-04)
- Catalog editor (niwa, 2026-05)