Tricyrtis hirta Alba - Toad Lily

Tricyrtis hirta 'Alba', the white toad lily or orchid lily, is a shade-loving perennial prized for its small white flowers, which open in late summer and early autumn. Their complex structure resembles that of certain orchids. Borne along leafy stems, they are bright and refined. This white form produces a more discreet display than the purple-spotted species. Hardy, it brings colour to shady beds at a time of year when many woodland perennials have already finished flowering.

Tricyrtis hirta belongs to the Liliaceae family. This perennial species, known as toad lily, orchid lily or bristly tricyrtis, grows naturally in central and southern Japan, particularly on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. It grows along shady woodland edges, on stream banks and on certain cool rock faces. The name 'Alba' is used in horticulture for plants raised from seed selected for their white flowering; it does not necessarily refer to a single clone, which may explain slight differences in vigour or flower form between batches. The plant slowly develops a clump 50 to 70 cm in height and 50 to 60 cm in spread. Its unbranched stems, initially upright and then slightly arching, bear oval to oblong leaves, 8 to 15 cm long. Their bases partially surround the stem. The leaves, stems and buds are covered in fine hairs, a characteristic referred to by the Latin epithet hirta, meaning "bristly" or "hairy". The above-ground growth is deciduous: it disappears after the first hard frosts, then emerges from the ground fairly late in spring. From September to October, the flower buds gradually open in the axils of the upper leaves and at the ends of the stems. The flowers, solitary or borne in pairs or threes, measure 2.5 to 3 cm across. They have six white, sometimes ivory, tepals which spread around a central cluster formed by the stamens and the three branches of the style. Small nectar-rich pouches are found at the base of the three outer tepals. This characteristic gives rise to the name Tricyrtis, formed from Greek words referring to the number three and a swollen shape. Flowering may be cut short in regions where the first frosts arrive early. Hardy down to -20 °C at its lowest, the crown of this perennial thrives in humus-rich, well-drained soil that does not dry out too much during the growing season. Persistent summer drought reduces flowering. 

Plant this 'Alba' tricyrtis along the edge of a shady path or at the edge of woodland, in a spot where its small white flowers can be viewed up close. You can plant Athyrium niponicum 'Ursula’s Red', a Japanese fern with silver fronds veined in burgundy, alongside it, and Liriope muscari 'Monroe White', whose white spikes open between August and September. The dark green foliage of hosta 'Devon Green' provides a restrained backdrop in summer. At the back, Actaea simplex 'Pink Spike' combines its purple leaves and pale pink spikes with the tricyrtis flowers. All these perennials enjoy partial shade and humus-rich soil that remains moist in summer.

Beware, the young shoots are very often targeted by small grey slugs!