The toad lilies are not as flashy as some other plants that have the common name lily, but are valuable for blooming when the mass of summer colour has passed, and have pretty flowers, well worthy of inspection. They make a clump of upright stems, with a succession of funnel-shaped flowers in subtle colours, often mottled or spotted.

Tricyrtis hirta 'Variegata' differs from the normal form of the species in having bright green leaves with cream edges. Its flowers have petals, white with purple spots, strongly reflexed, showing the purple stigmas.