Tricyrtis macropoda

Ornamentally, bigfoot toad lily more than compensates for its somewhat macabre common name.  The white, purple-spotted flowers are held proudly in upright umbels at the stem tips, rather than demurely in the leaf axils as per Tricyrtis hirta.  The flowers add a flourish of fountaining stamens and stigmas at their center, also dressed in white and purple, giving them a bit of a hose-in-hose look.  Bloom is earlier than many Tricyrtis, and it's nattily accessorized by the bold, pointed, heart-shaped leaves and purple stems.

Part shade; humus-rich soil; 30"x18"; late summer; Zone 5

Propagated from seed; deep 3.5-inch pots