Tricyrtis hirta

Give Tricyrtis hirta a space in a shady part of your garden and it will reward you with the most intricate and exotic looking late-summer flowers. The flowers are most intriguing to look at, not only for their purple speckled markings but also because of their formation. Interestingly, parts of the blooms are in threes, hence the name, Tricyrtis. There are three petals, three spurs at the base of each petal, three sepals and three forked styles and which appear from above to hover above the flower like an umbrella. If you feel the urge to gaze at these flowers for a while, you’re not alone!

Areas in the shelter of trees and shrubs are perfect for Tricyrtis hirta, commonly known as Japanese toad lily or Japanese orchid lily. They like shade and dappled shade, but the soil must be reliably damp and rich, so avoid planting directly under tress where the soil is compacted and very dry. Tricyrtis hirta syn. Tricyrtis japonica is a perennial plant—when it's happy in its position, it will establish gradually to form a larger clump which grows back and flowers every year from late summer into autumn.