Big Blue Lilyturf, Broad-leafed winter wheat
Liriope muscari

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a perennial plant 30-45 cm high. The roots are sometimes fleshy with tubers near the tip. The leaves are strap shaped. They are 25-65 cm long by 0.8-2 cm wide. They are stiff and 9-11 veined. The flowers are in spikes densely packed and violet or purple. These are 8-45 cm long with many flowers. The flowers occur in clusters of 4-8. The fruit are black berries. They are round and 6-7 mm across.

There are 5 or 6 Liriope species. Also put in the family Convallariaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. They grow in bamboo forests and shady moist places between 100-1400 m altitude in China. It suits hardiness zones 4-10. Melbourne Botanical gardens. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Canada, China, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, North America, Pacific, Slovenia, Taiwan, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kuo ye shan mai dong

Synonyms

Ophiopogon muscari Decaisne; Liriope graminifolia (L.) Baker var. densifolia Maxim. ex Baker; Liriope muscari var. communis (Maxim.) P.S.Hsu & L.C.Li; Liriope platyphylla F.T.Wang & Tang; Liriope spicata (Thunb.) Loureiro var. densifolia (Maxim. ex Baker) C.H.Wright; Liriope spicata var. latifolia Franchet; Liriope yingdeensis R.H.Miao; Ophiopogon spicatus (Thunb.) Ker Gawler var. communis Maxim.;