Plant: Big Blue - Liriope
Liriope · Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Size: 4" square pot
Light
Bloom
Mature size
More about this plant
Big Blue Liriope, also commonly referred to as Lilyturf or Monkey grass, is an evergreen, grass-like perennial that forms dense clumps of narrow, arching dark green leaves about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and wide, with spikes of lavender flowers in late summer and early fall followed by shiny black berries that last through winter. It wants acidic to neutral, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade, tolerates drought, salt and deer once established, and is a classic edging plant for walkways and paths or a ground cover under trees and in front of shrubs. Cut the tops back each February before new growth begins.
- Full Sun
- Grows to 1.5 ft tall and 1.5 ft wide
- Blooms in summer, fall
- Hardy in USDA zones 6-9
- Evergreen foliage
Plant description
Big Blue Liriope, also commonly referred to as Lilyturf or Monkey grass, is an evergreen, grass-like perennial that forms dense clumps of narrow, arching dark green leaves about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and wide, with spikes of lavender flowers in late summer and early fall followed by shiny black berries that last through winter. It wants acidic to neutral, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade, tolerates drought, salt and deer once established, and is a classic edging plant for walkways and paths or a ground cover under trees and in front of shrubs. Cut the tops back each February before new growth begins.
- Flowers
- Small six-parted lavender flowers on 6 to 8 inch raceme spikes in late summer to fall.
- Foliage
- Linear, dark green strap-like leaves 1 to 1.5 feet long and under 1 inch wide in dense basal clumps.
- Fruit
- Globose berries about a third of an inch across, green ripening to shiny black, lasting through winter.
- Pruning
- Cut back the tops each February before new growth begins.
- Native range
- China, Taiwan and Japan
