Variegated Liriope

Common name: Variegated lilyturf

Botanical name: Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’

What it is: A grassy looking perennial with upright green leaf blades edged in greenish-gold. Gets purple flower spikes from late summer into early fall. Foliage stays green most of winter. Spreads slowly in a neat clump.

Size: 1 foot tall, spreads 2 to 3 feet in time.

Where to use: Very versatile. Best as an edging plant along walkways or as a low-maintenance front-of-bed plant along curving shrub beds. Tough enough to use as a groundcover in dry shade under trees. Takes sun or shade and everything between. Can do dry or wet soil.

Care: A little balanced, granular fertilizer is optional each spring. Most important: cut last year’s foliage to a stub each March. Bunnies occasionally nibble the leaves, but plants usually recover. Divide in spring if clumps expand beyond assigned space.

Why I like it: It looks great as a border plant, especially if you need something formal and planted as a mass edging. The green and white edging adds color in shady areas and is easy to grow. It can be divided easily.