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Common Name: Toad Lily

General Information

Tricyrtis hirta is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.80 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Japan.

Habitat

Shady rocks[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.80 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a humus-rich fertile well-drained but moisture-retentive acid or neutral light sandy loam in partial shade[, ]. Prefers the dappled shade of a woodland garden but tolerates full sun if the soil is reliably moist throughout the growing season, flowering earlier in such a position[]. Plants also require a sunnier position in the northern parts of Britain[].
This species is hardy to about -20°c, but if prolonged cold weather is not accompanied by snow cover the plants will appreciate a good mulch of organic matter[].
Plants are very susceptible to attacks by slugs[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young shoots - cooked.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed requires 12 weeks stratification at 5°c[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division just before growth starts in spring to single crowns[]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.