The Unique Orchid-Like Perennial That Will Thrive In Your Shade Garden

Shade gardens offer gardeners the option of growing unconventional plants that do not tolerate the scorching heat that usual sun-lit landscapes provide. While it may not be the easiest thing to do, growing a gorgeous, healthy shade garden certainly becomes easier when you know the right plants to grow. Japanese toad lilies (Tricyrtis hirta) are shade-loving perennials you should definitely consider for gardening in shade. These plants stand out because of their colorful flowers, which resemble orchids due to their exotic, star-shaped flowers with tepals (combination of sepals and petals). Their striking flowers also make Japanese toad lilies stand apart from the muted blooms of some of the other shade-loving plants in your garden. In fact, being one of the shade plants that attract hummingbirds and pollinators to your yard, Japanese toad lilies are bound to increase the ecological quotient of your yard a few notches as well.

Japanese toad lilies are herbaceous perennials. As the name suggests, these plants are native to the islands of Japan, where they are used to growing in shady regions, like river banks and rocky cliffs. These plants are also known as hairy toad lilies because of the presence of hair all over the plant. What is their connection with toads though? Well, their sac-like nectaries give them both the name of their genus, Trycyrtis, as well as their common name. The "tri" stands for three and "kyrtos" refers to the swollen nectar-rich humps, which resemble warts on a toad. Furthermore, toad lily flowers are also spotted just like toads. Unlike toads though, these plants show up with beautiful white and lavender flowers during fall that will brighten up all the dark nooks and corners of your yard.

Japanese toad lilies are perennials in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. They thrive in regions with partial shade (two to six hours of sunlight a day) to deep shade. What also makes these plants great for shade gardens is the time during which they flower — from late summer to fall. This is a time when a lot of other flowers in your garden would likely be fading, while Japanese toad lilies step it up to keep the pop of color in your yard. The flowers often come out in clusters in the leaf axils of the plants and last for three weeks. 

Japanese toad lilies like moist, acidic soils with high organic content, and good drainage. If you keep the soil moist enough, these plants can even tolerate more sun in some cooler climates. Japanese toad lilies also do an excellent job of complementing other plants that thrive without direct sunlight. These include plants, such as hellebores, hostas, and ferns, which also have similar growing requirements. You can grow Japanese toad lilies en masse, along the borders of your shade garden, or as single accent flowers. In fact, since the size of their flowers are so small, you should make sure their beauty does not get drowned in the background. Keep these plants at a location where they can be observed up close.