Tricyrtis formosana 'Samurai' (Toad Lily) Unity Grown

Originally native to Taiwan, 'Samurai' is a compact cultivar of Trycyrtis formosana, also called toad lily, a highly ornamental perennial wildflower typically found medium to wet organically rich soils in part-shade areas. Although introduced to North America in the mid 1990s, Trycyrtis formosana does not show many invasive qualities, and only spreads by way of way rhizome rather slowly, and 'Samurai' adds a lot of ecological and aesthetic appeal to the garden.

The 'Samurai' cultivar is noted for its cream golden-yellow variegated leaf margins as well as its more compact habit, growing to only 12-18" and wide tall as opposed to the straight species height of up to 40" and two feet wide. Small, lily-like flowers are produced in small, branched clusters in late summer to early fall, and have to be seen to be believed with shades of cream white and golden orange-yellow on the interior and pink and purple speckled on the exterior petals; flowers are also highly attractive to a number of pollinators, including native bees and hummingbirds, and young plant tissues are attractive to small mammals, like rabbits, who will eat young leaves. Although Trycyrtis formosana is not rabbit tolerant, it is deer resistant and capable of growing in deep shade.