''Liriope spicata'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

of low, herbaceous flowering plant from

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

. Common names include creeping lilyturf, creeping liriope, lilyturf, and monkey grass. This

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

has grass-like evergreen foliage and is commonly used in

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...

in temperate climates as

groundcover Groundcover or ground cover is any plant that grows over an area of ground. Groundcover provides protection of the topsoil from erosion and drought. In an ecosystem, the ground cover forms the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer known as ...

. Creeping lilyturf has white to lavender flowers which produce single-seeded berries on a spike in the fall. It is one of the most popular groundcovers in the southeastern United States and areas with a similar climate.

Distribution and habitat

Creeping lilyturf is a native understory plant in China and Vietnam occurring in forests and grassy slopes at elevations of sea level to .Plants for a Future: ''Liriope spicata''.
/ref>Missouri Botanical Garden: Kemper Center for Home Gardening: ''Liriope spicata''.
/ref>

Characteristics

Creeping lilyturf is a

rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow h ...

, grass-like perennial which forms clusters of narrow, arching, glossy, dark green leaves (to wide) typically growing high. Erect flower spikes with small, white to pale lavender flowers arise, somewhat hidden, among the leaves in late summer. Blackish berries develop in fall and often persist through winter. Roots have prominent rhizomes and frequent tubers. A cultivar exists with variegated leaves. Creeping lilyturf looks very similar to another common species in the genus—lilyturf (''

Liriope muscari ''Liriope muscari'' is a species of flowering plant from East Asia. Common names in English include big blue lilyturf, lilyturf, border grass, and monkey grass. This small herbaceous perennial has grass-like evergreen foliage and lilac-purp ...

''). Creeping lilyturf can be distinguished by its rhizomatous root system (in contrast to the diffused root system of lilyturf), its less prominent flower spike being partially within leaves (lilyturf has a longer spike extending well above leaves), and its generally narrower and shorter leaves when compared those of lilyturf.

Cultivation

Creeping lilyturf is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Moist, fertile soils with partial shade are ideal, but it also tolerates wide range of light and soil conditions. Creeping lilyturf also tolerates heat, humidity, and drought. The evergreen foliage often turns brown in late winter; old foliage can be cut back or mowed at a high setting before new shoots appear early spring. Creeping lilyturf is suitable for USDA zones 4 to 10.

Propagation

Germination characteristics of the seeds of creeping lilyturf are probably similar to those of ''Liriope muscari'', which have been investigated more thoroughly; its germination guidelines should be followed. Creeping lilyturf is easily reproduced by dividing the root mass and rhizomes.Jay Deputy. 1999. Liriope, the “Other” Mondo Grass. College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manona: Cooperative Extension Service.
/ref> The optimum time to do this is during the dormant season before onset of new growth. Plants produced by division are identical to the mother plant, and thus, cultivar traits are retained.

Uses

Creeping lilyturf is mainly used in mass plantings as a groundcover. Its tendency of aggressive spreading makes it generally unsuitable as a border plant. The species has been observed to establish rhizomes beneath concrete borders. Creeping lilyturf is an excellent plant to establish on steep slopes where erosion control is needed. Minimal maintenance is required. ''Liriope spicata'' is used as a substitute for mondo grass ('' Ophiopogon japonicus'') in

Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...

as an herb for yin deficiency.

Air quality

According to

NASA Clean Air Study __NOTOC__ The NASA Clean Air Study was a project led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in 1989, to research ways to clean the air in sealed envir ...

, ''Liriope spicata'' filters

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) ( systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogeno ...

xylene In organic chemistry, xylene or xylol (; IUPAC name: dimethylbenzene) are any of three organic compounds with the formula . They are derived from the substitution of two hydrogen atoms with methyl groups in a benzene ring; which hydrogens are sub ...

and

toluene Toluene (), also known as toluol (), is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) ...

from the air.

Problems

No serious diseases or pests occur for creeping lilyturf. Root rot (''

Pythium ''Pythium'' is a genus of parasitic oomycetes. They were formerly classified as fungi. Most species are plant parasites, but '' Pythium insidiosum'' is an important pathogen of animals, causing pythiosis. The feet of the fungus gnat are fre ...

'') has been reported.

Anthracnose A plant canker is a small area of dead tissue, which grows slowly, often over years. Some cankers are of only minor consequence, but others are ultimately lethal and therefore can have major economic implications for agriculture and horticultur ...

fungus sometimes causes reddish steaks in the leaves.

Scale insect Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than th ...

s have been reported to cause unsightly reddish spots on leaves during late summer. Slugs and snails are occasional pests. Some people feel that creeping lilyturf has been overused as a landscaping plant and that suitable native plants can be used in its place. Lilyturf is reported to have little wildlife value. Like most other non-grass groundcovers, creeping lilyturf does not hold up to traffic well.Virginia Cooperative Extension. Diane Relf; Bonnie Appleton. Selecting Landscaping Plants: Groundcovers. (426-609).
/ref>

References

External links

Learn 2 Grow: Liriope Lovelies.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3010159 Nolinoideae Flora of Asia Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine Garden plants of Asia Groundcovers