Ophiopogon japonicus
Common Names: mondo grass, lily turf, snakebeard
Family: Liliaceae (lily Family)
Grass Perennial Fast Growing Easy to grow - great for beginners!
Tolerant of Shade and Low Light Conditions Has evergreen foliage Has
Unusual or Interesting Foliage
Description
a bed of mondo grass
A bed of mondo grass flanks the front porch at Southwood Plantation
in Tallahassee, FLorida. This is one of the dwarf cultivars with
leaves only about 4 in long.
Mondo grass is an evergreen perennial that is actually a member of
the lily family despite its appearance and common name. Depending on
variety, the slender leaves grow from 2-12 in (5-30.5 cm) long. They
are rigid and curve back toward the ground ("recurve") and resemble
blades of turf grass. Leaves emerge in clumps from a network of
rhizomes that grow just below the soil surface. With age the clumps
will merge to form a soft dense carpet of foliage. In summer small
light purple flowers are produced but are of little interest as they
are hidden in the dense foliage as are the small blue-black berries
that follow. Mondo grass resembles another "grassy" member of the
lily family called liriope (Liriope muscari) which is also used for
groundcover and borders. However, its flower stalks mondo grass are
hidden within the mass of foliage, rather than above as in liriope.
Blades are discernibly thinner than liriope, only about 1/8 in (0.3
cm) wide.
There are several dwarf cultivars of mondo grass available. With
shorter leaves and more compact mounds and mats they are somewhat
more formal than the casual species with its wind tossed foliage. 'Compactus'
is the most compact with leaves that grow only to about 2 in (5 cm)
long to form very low dense mats that I think resemble a fuzzy moss.
'Kyoto Dwarf' grows 2-4 in (5-10 cm). There is also a variegated
cultivar that I have yet to encounter.
Location
Mondo grass is native to shady forests and woodlands of Japan and
Korea.
Culture
Likes fertile, well drained soil, but adapts well. May be fertilized
during warm months, but seldom needs encouragement; The standard
size spreads fast, and may need active measures to control
invasiveness! The dwarf varieties tend to be much slower growing.
Light: Shade to partial sun
Moisture: Water when soil is dry. Somewhat drought tolerant.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7 - 11
Propagation: Offsets or divisions. Very easy to propagate.
Mondo grass is a perfect low maintenance ground cover for shady
areas. The dense foliage suppresses weeds and the long slender
foliage is able to "consume" fallen leaves and other debris that
falls into its embrace. The species, with 12 in (30.5 cm) leaves is
shown in the photo, note that the dwarf selections don't hide fallen
leaves as well but are still effective for edging out weeds.
Usage
Mondo grass is very useful as a ground cover for shady areas, and
the dense mat of roots holds the ground exceedingly well where
runoff is a problem. It is widely used as a border around beds, but
can make a nuisance of itself by growing into the bed and out into
the lawn as well where the ground is soft so use of a hard edging
material is recommended. Good for edging walkways and defining beds;
tall varieties may be used as foundation plantings. Mondo grass is
quite pleasing to the senses as it ripples in the wind. Dwarf
varieties are excellent as a groundcover around shady pools or
garden statues, where height will not compete with the feature, and
dark green will contrast better than a bright green grass, and will
require no mowing. May also be used as an evergreen in planters,
either alone or mixed with seasonal annuals for color.
Features
Mondo grass's rich dark green, finely textured evergreen foliage
provides a handsome backdrop for more colorful plants. It is
virtually pest and care free making it a great choice for low
maintenance plantings. There are a couple other species of
Ophiopogon that are also of interest to gardeners. O. planiscapus is
similar in form but is available in varieties with almost black
foliage. O. jaburan has wider leaves and is available in several
varieties as well, the most popular being a variegated form. |
