Tricyrtis hirta var. hirta (toad lily, "Hototogisu")

Japanese name: ホトトギス （杜鵑草）
Scientific name: Tricyrtis hirta var. hirta

[Overview]
A perennial growing in slightly moist places in mountain forests.
The stem hangs down from cliffs or stands erect, reaching 40–80 cm in length, and is densely covered with brown hairs.
Leaves are simple and alternate, oblong, 8–20 cm long, and hairy.
The leaf base clasps the stem.
One to three flowers are borne facing upward in each leaf axil.
The flowers are cup-shaped with six tepals; the tepals spread obliquely and are white with purple spots.
The base of the flower has yellow spots.
The style of the pistil divides into three, and each branch divides again into two and spreads out flat.
There are 6 stamens; the filaments rise along the style, curve back at the top, and bear the anthers facing outward.
The fruit is a capsule 3 cm long.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by shoot cuttings.
As long as the site is bright partial shade with good drainage, it is not particular about soil.
It prefers an environment with high air humidity, and places that dry out easily should be avoided.
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 fertilizer rich in phosphorus is applied as a base fertilizer, nothing more is particularly needed, but for potted plants slow-release fertilizer may be placed on the soil once a month in spring.
Pests and diseases include southern blight and slugs.

[Notes]
The Japanese name compares the pattern of the flower to the spots on the breast of the hototogisu (little cuckoo).

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