Toad Lily (Tricyrtis spp.) – The Orchid of the Shade Garden

Looking for a showstopper that thrives in the shadows? Meet the Toad Lily, a late-blooming woodland beauty that brings a tropical, orchid-like flair to your fall garden. Speckled like a miniature jungle cat and tougher than it looks, this perennial is your secret weapon for shady spots in need of charm.

Why You’ll Love It:

Toad lilies aren’t your typical flowerbed filler. They bloom when most others are winding down, producing exotic-looking, star-shaped flowers splashed with purple, blue, or maroon spots. Each bloom is small — but they appear in generous clusters and bring serious wow factor up close.

These plants love consistent moisture and do best in rich, humus-y soil. Perfect for shady borders, woodland paths, or even as a unique cut flower in fall arrangements.

Quick Facts:

Height: 18–36 inches tall

Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4–9

Light Requirements: Partial to full shade

Ease of Growth:  Easy to Moderate (great for gardeners who can give it a little love and moisture!)

Bloom Time: Late summer to fall

Pro Growing Tips:

• Mulch generously to retain moisture and keep roots cool, especially in warmer zones.
• Divide clumps every 3–4 years in early spring to keep plants vigorous and prevent overcrowding.
• Plant them where you’ll see them up close — these blooms are best appreciated at eye level or along a path.
• Pair with ferns, hostas, or astilbes for a dreamy woodland vibe

Our mission for sustainability:

Melos diggings prides ourselves on all-natural and pesticide free gardening for our products. We aim to give back more than we get in our gardening doing our most to curate an environment worthy of some of natures more reserved species such as hummingbirds and monarch butterflies.

I also pursue apiculture in a hope to assist in the global decline of the bee population. While our hive collection is small someone doing a little here and a little there can add up if enough individuals do it and we can all as one truly make a change.

We base all of our gardening off the ideals of permaculture and regenerative gardening. Constantly aiming to minimize our impact and always striving to give back. We recycle all materials, plant matter anything we can reuse we make sure we do. We mend all of our soil using natural methods never turning to industrial fertilizers of any kind all in the pursuit of bettering our environment around us and giving you all the best product we can.