Tough grass-like cousins
Need an ideal grassy ground cover? Look no further than plants of the Ophiopogon and Liriope species, suggests Stephanie Choo
BOTANICALLY speaking, they are kind of like cousins. Informally, they’re called monkey grass even though they’re actually not of true grass varieties. And you just cannot judge them by their outward finetextured appearance alone. These delicatelooking beauties are tough-as-nails once established.
Monkey grasses — mondo grasses (Ophiopogon spp.) and lily turfs (Liriope spp.) — are members of the same plant family, Convallariaceae ,which was once included in the Liliaceae. In the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III system of 2009, however, Convallariaceae is united with the family, Asparagaceae.
The asparagus plant family of flowering plants, just like any members of the lily family, has three sepals and three petals that are the same in size and colour, with six stamens and a three-parted pistil.
The tiny blue or white flowers of the mondo grasses are borne on short racemes. They produce bluish-black ber- ries. The narrow leaves are linear and dark green to purple. These spreading evergreens are clump-forming and natives of Japan, China, Vietnam and India. They grow 15cm to 30cm tall but the dwarf forms are shorter. The cultivar, Ophiopogon japonicus Kyoto Dwarf, for example, is not more than 10cm tall.
Lily turfs, despite their similarities to the mondo grass in appearance, have broader and longer strap-like arching leaves. They typically grow to about 25cm to 45cm and send out spikes of small white or lilac flowers from among the foliage. After the blooms, clusters of dark berry-like fruit soon follow.
Lily turfs are from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Due to their fleshy root system, species and cultivars of Ophiopogon and Liriope are able to tolerate salt sprays, heat and drought well. They can able thrive in shady areas where most turf grasses cannot survive.
The roots of L. spicata, which is an understory plant from the forest of China and Vietnam, creep and spread fast underground. The plant is therefore excellent for covering sections of the ground.
The other popular Liriope is L. muscari. This shrub is coarser in texture, has only clumps and does not creep, which makes it useful for covering floor spaces under tall shrubs and edging beds, borders and walkways. Ophiopogon japonicus Kyoto Dwarf •
and O. jaburan spread their long rhizomes over an area in the same way as L. spicata.
Take advantage of their spreading and low-growing habits by planting those mondo grasses en masse to cloak and beautify the ground. Their dense layer of foliage supply attractive colour and texture to the garden.
Use a lily turf to add a billowy appearance by mixing the plant with other shrubs in a border or plant it into a pot. For additional interest, match it with other fine-textured plants to create contrast and pattern. For a bolder impact, grow it in groups.
Ophiopogon and Liriope plants are extremely tough. They thrive in many types of soil. For the best result, grow them in fertile soil with good drainage in semi-shade locations. Propagate from side shoots or by thinning and dividing clumps. Cut back to tidy and renew the plants when necessary.