Felder Rushing
Family
Liliaceae
Botanical Name
Liriope
Plant Common Name
Lilyturf
General Description
Lirope is a standard groundcover for shady locations, and there are about eight species that make up the genus. All have grassy foliage and originate from regions in China, Japan, Taiwan or Vietnam. There is some controversy about the classification of the genus, but most place it in Liliaceae (the lily family).
The arching plants are perennial and evergreen or semi-evergreen. They are clump-forming and spread via rhizomes (lateral underground stems). Their linear, blade-like leaves are flattened and arise directly from the rhizomes. Spiky flower stems, held in or above foliage, appear at various times in the summer, depending on the species. The upright stems hold lots of small, bulbous, tubular flowers that come in shades of violet-blue, lavender-pink, purple or white. Some are quite inconspicuous. The fruits are berry-like and usually blue-black.
Lilyturf thrives in partial sun to shade and fertile well-drained average soil. Many will also tolerate full sun, poorer soils and droughty conditions. As a groundcover lilyturf is usually very tolerant of root competition from trees, though it can become quite aggressive if not maintained and kept in bounds. In fact, some species of lilyturf have naturalized in several regions of the United States and are considered invasive. The leaves are evergreen in most locations and may eventually appear weather beaten. In these cases, it is best to shear or mow the plants back in fall or early spring to allow new fresh leaves to emerge. When Liriope clumps become thick, division is necessary.
The most popular cultivated varieties are hybrids of Liriope muscari, Liriope gigantea or Liriope spicata. Much variation is found in the color, length and wideness of the leaves, and there are many variegated forms. There is also some variety in the showiness and color of the bloom.
