Creeping lilyturf

Creeping lilyturf: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, grass-like carpet about 30 cm tall and 60 cm wide, spreading by runners.

Leaves

Narrow, strap-like leaves 3–6 mm wide and 20–30 cm long, dark green and leathery; green all year.

Flower

Short spikes of small pale lilac to white flowers among the leaves, from August to September.

Fruit

Glossy blue-black berries that can stay on the plant into winter.

Roots

Thin roots with small tubers and underground runners by which the plant spreads.

Flowering: August–September · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• An evergreen, dark green carpet that covers the soil all year and suppresses weeds.
• Grows in sun, part shade and shade, even under trees where little else will grow.
• Flowers late, in August and September, when most shade plants have finished.
• Ideal for slopes, edges and larger areas: it spreads by itself and holds the soil.
• Low maintenance: one cut back a year is enough.

Creeping lilyturf: where does it grow best?

• Sun to shade. In deep shade it flowers less; in strong sun the leaves may fade.
• Sandy or loamy soil, acid to neutral, preferably with some humus.
• Dry to normally moist: once established it tolerates drought, but not soil that is wet for long.
• Suits slopes, the ground under trees, path edges and underplanting in borders.
• For a dense carpet, allow 25–30 cm between plants; the area closes up in two to three years.

Light

Sun, partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Hosta: Large leaves above a low green carpet in the same part shade.
• Bergenia: Evergreen, with pink flowers in spring while the carpet is still quiet.
• Japanese anemone: Flowers at the same time in September, pink or white above the dark foliage.
• Hellebore: Flowers in winter and spring among the evergreen leaves.
• Heuchera: Coloured foliage that contrasts with the dark green strap leaves.

Creeping lilyturf: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Loosen the soil and mix in compost; remove perennial weeds first.
3. Dig a hole as deep as the pot and twice as wide.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and space plants 25–30 cm apart for a carpet that closes quickly.
5. Water well straight away, then regularly in dry weather during the first year.
6. Spread a thin layer of bark or leaf mould between the plants until the carpet has closed.

Care

Watering

In the first year, weekly in dry weather. After that only in long dry spells.

Feeding

A thin layer of compost or a little organic fertiliser in spring. More is not needed.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould or bark in the year after planting, until the carpet closes.

Tidying

In March, cut off the old, damaged leaves before the new shoots start.

Containing

Cut off the runners at the edge with a spade each year, or plant it with an edging so it does not wander into its neighbours.

Tip: Unlike Liriope muscari, this species spreads by runners and forms a dense carpet. Good for slopes and dry shade. Cut off the old leaves every spring for a fresh start.

Creeping lilyturf: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: From late February to late March, before the new shoots appear.

How:

• Cut the old leaves off just above the ground with hedge shears, or mow them with the mower on its highest setting.
• Remove the cut leaves straight away so the new shoots get light.
• Cut off runners that stray outside the intended area with a spade.

Caution: Do not cut too late: if the new shoots are already growing, you damage them along with the old leaves.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September: lift a piece of the carpet, divide it into pieces with roots and leaves and replant straight away 25–30 cm apart.

Detaching runners

In spring, cut off runners with roots and plant them elsewhere. This is the easiest method.

Creeping lilyturf: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy down to about −25 °C; the foliage stays green but may get brown tips in hard frost or dry east winds.
• Brown or damaged leaves are not a problem: cut them off in March and the plant will shoot again by itself.
• In a pot: stand the pot against a wall or wrap it in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Brown leaf tips: Frost or drying winter wind. Cut the foliage back in March; the plant recovers.
• Slugs: Small holes and chewed leaf edges, especially on young plants. Collect the slugs in the evening.
• Poor flowering: Usually too deep shade or too much feed. More light and no feed help.
• Root rot: Yellow, limp plants in wet soil. Improve drainage or choose a drier spot.

Through the year

• March: Cut off old leaves. Plant or divide. Apply compost.
• April: Plant or divide. Detach runners.
• May: Plant. Mulch lightly. Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in long dry spells.
• August: Flowering begins.
• September: Flowering. Plant or divide.
• October: Plant. Leave the berries.
• December: Rest. The foliage stays green.

Did you know?

• Despite its name, lilyturf is neither a lily nor a grass: the plant belongs to the asparagus family (Asparagaceae).
• The genus name Liriope refers to the nymph Liriope of Greek mythology, the mother of Narcissus.
• The glossy blue-black berries often stay on the plant long after flowering, even into winter.