Toad Lilies in Tell us your Favorite Shade Plants

By dave
January 20, 2016

We're putting together a list of the ATP members' favorite shade plants! Come on in and read how to nominate your favorites! We will later publish a final article on the top picks.

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foraygardengirl

Jan 24, 2016 9:20 AM CST

Thread OP

Name: Jeanie
Minnesota (Zone 4a)
Replace your lawn with a garden!

My yard is almost all in some degree of shade. Fortunately I love shade plants; in fact it was difficult for me to choose one to nominate over any other. For the reason that the blossoms are exotic, complex and unlike almost anything else, I nominate toad lilies. I have a real fascination with them and have some that bloom in June and others that bloom in September.

(This link is to the generic toad lilies database item because I have more than one type)

Toad Lilies (Tricyrtis)

:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:
Old gardeners never die. They are just pruned and repotted.

| @foraygardengirl | Post #1041426 (1)

Last edited by foraygardengirl Jan 24, 2016 9:22 AM

NJBob

Jan 24, 2016 9:38 PM CST

Name: Bob
Vernon N.J. (Zone 6b)

I do like them a lot but they never overwinter for me.

NJBob
Echinaceas cubit
Mid Atlantic Musings cubit

| @NJBob | Post #1042180 (2)

valleylynn

Jan 25, 2016 9:45 PM CST

Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)

Jeanie, I also love the Toad Lillies. Mine come back every year now that I know to put slug bait our starting in January.
This is one of mine.

Empress Toad Lily (Tricyrtis 'Empress')
Uploaded by valleylynn

I have one that has variegated leaves that even without blooms is pretty in the shade garden. I lost the name of it.

Sempervivum For Sale
Sempervivum ~ Sedum ~ Containers

| @valleylynn | Post #1043103 (3)

aspenhill

Jan 26, 2016 7:23 AM CST

Name: Terri
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)

Hi Jeanie, too funny because toad lilies are another one of my favorites

. I'm not nominating any shade plants myself because I just can't pick a single favorite LOL, but I'm having lots of fun joining in the discussions on the nominations of the ones that I like the most. So far I have managed to collect 11 different toad lily cultivars and am always on the lookout for more. Years ago when my only exposure to them was pictures in catalogs, they really didn't seem appealing to me, but once I actually saw one I immediately changed my mind. Really nice foliage and the exotic flowers were much smaller and daintier than what I thought from just seeing the pictures. They look great in woodland shade and bloom in the fall to extend the gardening season interest. I can't figure out the deer pattern though - they eat some of the cultivars and leave other cultivars alone, and there doesn't seem to be any unifying characteristics between them

I'm trying to pair them with Japanese anemones because they both bloom in the fall.

Pinterest Boards: https://www.pinterest.com/aspe... NGA Blog: http://garden.org/blogs/view/a... Tablescaping Blog: http://aspenhill-gdn.blogspot....

| @aspenhill | Post #1043273 (4)

piksihk

Jan 26, 2016 3:47 PM CST

Name: Betsy
Texas (Zone 9a)
In the beginning GOD created ...

I don't have much shade but do love my toad lily - I've had this one for over 15 years and they continue to flower and multiply. Wow, aspenhill, 11 different ones! I would love to get my hands on more cultivars...

| @piksihk | Post #1043735 (5)