Back to main Search Page

Liriope graminifolia - (L.)Baker.

Author	(L.)Baker.	Botanical references	58, 200, 266
Family	Convallariaceae	Genus	Liriope
Synonyms	Asparagus graminifolius - L.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat	Lowland and foothills all over Japan[58]. Forests, thickets, shady places along ravines, grassy and rocky places from near sea level to 2300 metres[266]..
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Perennial growing to 0.3m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Ground Cover;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root.

Root - cooked[105, 177, 179]. Candied and used medicinally[61]. The root has a fleshy, tuberous part near its tip[266]. Rich in mucilage, the root also contains about 1.6% protein, 0.5% fat, 80% carbohydrate and 2.3% ash[179].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Aphrodisiac; Pectoral; Stimulant.

The root is aphrodisiac, pectoral and stimulant[61].

Other Uses

Ground cover.

A good drought tolerant evergreen ground cover plant[200].

Cultivation details

Prefers a sandy soil[1]. Succeeds in full sun so long as the soil does not dry out in the summer, otherwise it should be grown in partial shade in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[200]. Not very hardy in Britain, it is best to give the plants some protection in the winter[1]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233]. Most plants grown under this name in British gardens are actually L. muscari[200]. The Flora of Japan treats L. graminifolia as two separate species, L. minor. (Maxim.)Makino. and L. platyphylla. F.T.Wang.&Tang. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening recognizes L. graminifolia as a distinct species and gives L. platyphylla as a synonym of L. muscari whilst allotting specific status to L. minor as a plant closely related to L. muscari. This is the treatment followed here.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing it in a cold frame or greenhouse as soon as the seed is ripe if possible, if not then sowing the stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Ground cover plants..

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Add a comment/link:

Discussion Monitor

To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here:

(Your email address will not appear on the webpage or be passed on to third parties).