Liriope muscari, Lilyturf, Border Grass, Blue Lilyturf, monkey grass

Liriope muscari commonly known as Lilyturf is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Asparagaceae (asparagus) family. The plant is native to Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Japan, and Korea. It is invasive to North America and considered a threat to native wildlife. Common names in English include big blue lilyturf, Lilyturf, Border Grass, Blue Lilyturf, Liriope, monkey grass, Spider Grass, and Border grass. It is a rather well-known perennial plant by gardening enthusiasts around the world. The common name of lily turf recognizes the plant’s turf-like growing habit. It is not grass and was previously placed in the lily family but is now placed in the asparagus family. Another common name is border grass. Though it may resemble ornamental grass it is not a true grass. Genus name honors a Greek woodland nymph, Liriope, the mother of Narcissus. Specific epithet means flowers that resemble grape hyacinth (Muscari). It is harvested from the wild for local use as food, medicine, and a source of materials.

Lily Turf Facts

Plant Description

Lily turf is a small, broadleaf evergreen, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial plant that normally grows about 30–45 cm (12–18 in) tall. The plant is found growing in forests, bamboo forests, scrub, shady and moist places in ravines and on slopes. It tolerates a wide range of soils and soil conditions, but it doesn’t like constantly wet or boggy soil. Roots are fibrous, often with terminal tubers. Grass like tufts of initially interconnected plants lack a central stem, except for the flower/fruit stalks. The plant has clumps of strap-like, arching, glossy, dark green leaves (to 1″ wide). Clumps slowly expand by short stolons, but do not spread aggressively like Liriope spicata.

Leaves

Grass like but fleshier, radiating from the soil surface in expanding tufted groups, 2.5 to 7 inches (6 to 18 cm) long and 0.1 inch (2 mm) wide on new plants, up to 18 inches (45 cm) long and 0.4 inch (1 cm) wide on mature plants, widest at the middle and tapering to a blunt tip. Multiple lengthwise, parallel veins with a distinctly indented mid vein and slightly thickened, very finely serrated margins. It is glossy green being somewhat lighter beneath with whitish bases. Variegated varieties appear less aggressive. Leaf tips turn brown and die back in winter. New leaves grow from the base in spring.

Flowers

Multiple slender flower stalks, 15 to 14 inches (6 to 36 cm) tall, with the terminal 1.5 to 4.5 inches (4 to 12 cm) having spaced clusters of tiny lavender or violet (to white) flowers, with yellow centers, opening at different times above the leaves in late summer. Tepals are purple or lilac-purple, elliptic-oblong, 3.5-4 mm long and 1.5-1.8 mm wide.  Flowering normally occurs in between July-August.

Fruit and seeds

Fertile flowers are followed by spherical, green, berrylike drupes turn blue ripening to black purple, 0.2 to 0.3 inch (6 to 8 mm) wide. Fruit has a grapelike skin and little to no pulp and contain a single spherical dark seed.

Cultivars

Listed below are some of the well-known cultivars of Lily turf

Big Blue lily-turf (Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’)

It grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. It produces lavender to blue flowers. Although the hardiness zone is 5-10, it may need to be in a protected area in the northern areas of zone 5.

Majestic lily-turf (Liriope muscari ‘Majestic’)

This cultivar grows 12 to 15 inches tall and wide. Its flowers are deep lavender to violet. Although the hardiness zone is 5-10, it may need to be in a protected area in northern areas of zone 5.

Monroe’s White lily-turf (Liriope muscari ‘Monroe’s White’)

It grows 14 to 18 inches tall and wide and produces white flowers. Although the hardiness zone is 5-10, it may need to be in a protected area in the northern areas of zone 5.

Royal Purple lily-turf (Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’)

This cultivar grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide and produces deep purple flowers. Although the hardiness zone is 5-10, it may need to be in a protected area in the northern areas of zone 5.

Silvery Sunproof lily-turf (Liriope muscari ‘Silvery Sunproof’)

This has green leaves with cream-colored edges that grow nine to 15 inches tall and wide. Although the hardiness zone is 5-10, it may need to be in a protected area in the northern areas of zone 5.

Traditional uses and benefits of Lilyturf

• Candied tubers can be eaten as tonic and aphrodisiac.
• In China, a decoction of tubers is used to fortify the lungs, for coughs, fevers, and dysentery.
• In Chinese traditional medicine, it is used for asthma, bronchial and lung inflammation.
• It is also used as a tonic to moisten yin.
• The root is anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, aphrodisiac, pectoral, and stimulant.
• It is used as a tonic in Korea to increase stamina and also as an expectorant.

Other facts

• The roots, which often have fleshy tubers near their tip, are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
• It is a good drought-tolerant evergreen ground cover plant.
• Plants should be spaced about 30 cm apart each way.

References

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