Tricyrtis affinis ("Yamajinohototogisu")

Japanese name: ヤマジノホトトギス （山路杜鵑草）
Scientific name: Tricyrtis affinis

[Overview]
A perennial 30–60 cm tall, found in the mountains.
The stem has hairs pointing obliquely downward.
Leaves are simple and alternate, oblong, 8–18 cm long.
1–2 flowers face upward at the stem tip and in the leaf axils on the upper part of the stem.
The flowers are cup-shaped and 6-petaled, with tepals spreading open, white with purple spots.
The style of the pistil divides into 3, and each branch splits again into 2 and opens flat.
There are 6 stamens; the filaments rise along the style, curve back at the top, and bear the anthers facing outward.
The filaments and styles have no spots.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by cuttings of shoots.
It prefers bright partial shade and well-drained soil.
It likes high humidity in the air, so it is best to avoid places that dry out easily.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes severely dry.
If a slow-release chemical fertilizer rich in phosphorus is applied at planting, no further fertilizer is particularly necessary, but for potted plants, slow-release chemical fertilizer may be placed on the soil once a month in spring.
Pests and diseases include southern blight and slugs.

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