How to Grow Toad Lilies

My backyard backs up to a wetlands area. In the spring, walking across my backyard is like walking on a wet sponge. I’m always on the lookout for plants that like to grow in wet soils. I was happy to learn that one of my favorite plants, the toad lily, loves wet soil.

What are Toad Lilies?

Toad Lilies (Tricyrtis hirta) are a flowering perennial that is native to the northern islands of Japan, specifically Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Their natural habitat is shady areas along streams.

Toad lilies are hardy in zones 4 – 9. The plants have both interesting foliage and flowers. They grow 3 to 6 tall and have non-branching stems with leaves that alternate along them looking kind of like a ladder. The leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and oblong. The stems and the leaves are hairy.

The flowers look like tiny lily flowers and have distinctive spots on them. Toad lilies got their name because their flowers are spotted like toads and they like moist places, like toads. The flowers grow along the stems either singly or in groups. They are white or a pale lilac, both with dark purple spotting. The tiny flowers measure only 1 inch long. Bloom time is late summer through early fall.

How to Divide Toad Lilies

If you allow your toad lilies to go to seed each fall, eventually you will end up with a clump that you can divide. Dig up the clump of rhizomes in the spring while they are still dormant. Either gently pull them apart or cut them apart with a sharp knife. Discard any dead or diseased rhizomes.

Dig holes 12 inches apart. They should be 3 to 4 inches deep, depending on the size of your rhizomes and twice as wide as the rhizomes. Spread the roots out at the bottom of each hole and refill the holes making sure that each rhizome is 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface.

How to Grow Toad Lilies From Seed

You can harvest seed from your toad lilies in the fall. It’s best to allow it to drop into your garden naturally, rather than trying to grow it yourself outdoors. If you want to grow these lilies from seed, harvest the seed and then start them indoors.

First you need to surface sow them in a container filled with pre-moistened soil. I’ve found that if I water after I plant seeds, both the soil and the seeds wash away, so water the soil before you plant. Don’t cover the seeds with soil. They need sunlight to germinate.

Then cover the container with a plastic bag and place it in your refrigerator to mimic the cold weather of winter. The plastic bag helps the soil to retain water. Check it periodically. If the soil feel dry, add some water using a mister. Keep the container in your refrigerator for 3 months.

Then take the container out of your refrigerator, remove the plastic bag and put it in a north facing window which gets indirect light. Your seeds will germinate over a period of 30 to 50 days. The seedlings will grow very slowly so be patient. You can transplant them into your garden after your last frost when they have at least 2 sets of true leaves. Space them 12 inches apart.