Big Blue Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) Growing & Care Guide for Gardeners
Article by Dean Ravenscroft, Ph.D. - Updated 1st Feb 2024
- Plant Characteristics: Forms dense clumps of grass-like foliage, with spikes of purple, lavender, or white flowers in late summer. A versatile, ground-covering perennial that adds texture and color to the landscape.
- Growing & Care: Prefers partial shade but can tolerate full sun in cooler climates. Adaptable to a wide range of soils but performs best in moist, well-drained conditions.
- Tips for New Gardeners: Very low maintenance and easy to care for. Ideal for edging paths or borders. Divide clumps every few years in early spring to maintain vigor.
The Liriope muscari plant (Common name: Big Blue Lilyturf) makes a great plant for borders or also can be planted in mass to create evergreen grassy ground-cover.
It has a tufted grass appearance and can easily be grown in most places as it requires very little maintenance.
Photograph by Leonora (Ellie) Enking; Creative Commons.
It is also a great plant to use for areas that suffer from soil erosion.
This plant is a member of the Lirope Plant genus. These are generally known as Lilyturf or Monkey grass, and are typically low growing and grass-like in nature.
As they are evergreens they are often used in gardens as a landscaping plant that can provide year long groundcover.
Photograph by Manuel m. v.; CC.
Liriope muscari is a native of East and, some parts of, South-East Asia and can reach an height of about 18 inches (45 cm).
It grows in clumps and carries dark green strap-like leaves; these are glossy and about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) wide.
The Lilyturf has compact clumps that slowly expand in spread to about one foot (30 cm). Erect spikes will form and these will bloom with violet colored flowers towards the end of summer.
One of the reasons that make this a great plant to grow as groundcover is its tolerance to a large array of tough environmental conditions.
It is able to tolerate drought, high humidity, pollution, shade, and soil erosion, and is not usually severely damaged by deer or rabbits.
I recommend this page by Rutgers NJ Agricultural Experiment Station for more information on the best deer tolerant plants to grow in the garden.
Liriope muscari Cultivars
There are two main cultivars 'Big Blue' and 'Variegata'.
The first is a slightly taller version of the wild type plant (up to 2 feet (60 cm) with violet flowers.
The second has colorful variegated leaves; these are not as dark a green as the wild-type and have cream colored edge margins.
Other cultivars include 'Christmas tree' (green leaves, lilac flowers) and 'Lilac Beauty' (lilac flowers); the difference between these two cultivars and normal plants seems to be minimal.
Liriope muscari Video growing Guide
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Liriope muscari Growing and Care Guide
- Scientific Name: Liriope muscari
- Common Name (s): Big Blue Lilyturf, Lily turf, and Monkey grass, Spider Grass
- Growing Zone (USA / UK Hardiness): 5 to 10 / H5
Plant Details
- Life Cycle / Plant Type: Evergreen perennial. Turf-like growth habit.
- Plant Height: 1 to 1 1/2 feet (30 to 45 cm)
- Plant Spread: 3/4 to 1 foot (22 to 30 cm)
- Blooms: Late Summer and early Autumn.
- Flower Details: Showy. Dense Racemes, Dense Spikes carry spiral whorls of small flowers. Violet, purple. Similar to Grape Hyacinth flowers.
- Leaf Foliages: Strapped. Dark green. Glossy. Cream edged cultivar available.
- Fruit: Black, Berry.
Growing Conditions
- Best Light Conditions: Full sunlight to Partial shade; Can also grow in heavy shade but growth and spreading will be slow and the leaves not as showy.
- Suitable Soil Types: Well drained. Fairly fertile soils for best results. Grows fine in average soils.
- Suitable Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral for best results: 6.0 to 7.0
- Soil Soil Moisture: Medium. Once established can tolerate drought conditions.
- Sowing, planting, and Propagation:
Propagation: Divide clumps at the roots by hand from late autumn to early spring.
Sow: Difficult. Ensure seeds are free of any fruit pulp as it contains phenolic growth inhibitors. Stratify in warm water for one day. Sow into seed-starting tray containing a sterile potting mix. Sow at a spacing of 1 inch (2.5 cm), lightly cover with grit to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep. Mist the soil tray and put lid on the seed-starting tray. Germinate at about 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C). - Care: Cut leaves back to the ground using a mower at the start of spring. Provide shelter from cold winds in cooler areas.
Further Information
- Best used for: Ground cover, Borders, Butterfly gardens.
- Family: Asparagaceae (Asparagus family)
- Closely Related Species: Asparagus, Yucca, and Agave.
- Miscellaneous: Can be distinguished from the related species Creeping Lilyturf Liriope spicata by its root system; which is fibrous as opposed to being a rhizome. The genus is named after the Greek woodland nymph of the same name.
- Further Reading and References used for this Liriope muscari growing guide: Liriope Fact Sheet; Lily Turf
- Closely related species and genera: Polianthes; Growing Yucca filamentosa; How to Grow Agave parryi; Brimeura; Soap Plant; Pineapple flower; Asparagus Growing Guide
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Liriope muscari plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Asparagus densiflorus, Okra plant, and Yucca aloifolia plants.
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