if you like them, there are always plenty at the swaps, crystol. they are great plants. they have a sort of solomon's seal or tradescantia look. pointier leaves, and more tightly packed, but that nice arching form- like a fern, sort of. so they go up, then arch back down a bit at the tip. some are more upright than others and many have variegation on the leaves- whether purple spots or white streaks or edges. the bloom can be either on just the ends or at each node along the stalk. the 2 types are different species, but i can't recall which. the end kind tends to be more upright for me; the node type is more floppy- but not prostrate. and the node type ('amethystina' is the one i have) spreads a good bit to make a nice patch- with thinning for swaps mine is 3'. the other type('samuri' is one) doesn't spread as much for me. i love them- they bloom for a long while in the fall and don't seem to pout if you can't water them much. they do appreciate water, but after they get going don't seem to have to have it to perform like so many other shady ladies. i don't think i have any pix of the whole plant, sorry.

I had a lot of toad lily in a moist half-shaded area around my old pond -- it loved it there and was totally carefree. Spread freely, too.

Tam - Your description was perfect!! I think I'll be adding some this fall... Gotta love the swaps!!!

The only thing I will add is that many of them tend to yellow towards the base while the ends of the stems are starting to bloom. Most bloom in the fall and the plants are starting to go downhill (preparing for winter) at that time. There are some that bloom earlier when the whole plant is lush, and some years are different than others, it kinda depends on what kind of summer we had. The flowers are very cute but you have to look for them unless you plant them right up next to the walkways.

Mine do not flop. They are tall and bushy and green/variegated from base to tip, until the deer strip the leaves, leaving 3 foot bare upright stems, on which flower buds will form, until the deer return for those as well.

My plants of the taller varieties do reach about 3 feet, then will tend to lean over. I solve this problem by cutting the plants back by about half in late June/early July. They will branch and bloom just a bit later than the stems that haven't been pruned. Sometimes I prune back the taller stems and leave the others, which produces a bushier clump along with an extended season of bloom.

They really sound like fun plants. I'm sold!!!