Ophiopogon

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Ophiopogon >

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Read about Ophiopogon in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Ophiopogon (Greek, snake's beard; a translation of the Japanese name). Liliaceae. Herbs, grown for the bluish or white small flowers and the grass-like foliage that may form a good ground-cover. The genus is oriental, of about a score of species. The plants have a short thick rhizome, and the fibrous roots sometimes act like runners, and may be thickened into tubers: Lvs. linear or oblong-lanceolate and narrowed into a petiole: bracts small, scarious: perianth-tube none; stamens 6, fixed at the base of the segms.; filaments erect, distinct, shorter than the linear anthers; cells of 3-celIed ovary 2- ovuled: fr. indehiscent; seeds in the form of a globose berry.—The E. Indian species appear not to be cult. The genus is closely allied to Liriope. O. spicatus—Liriope graminifolia. Of this genus, two species are well known in cultivation. They are low- growing herbaceous perennials from Japan, with linear foliage, which is often striped or spotted with white or yellow, and racemes of small six-parted pendulous flowers, varying from white through lilac to violet-purple. They are procurable from a few dealers in hardy perennials, from specialists in Japanese plants and from Dutch bulb-growers. The most popular form is O. Jaburan var. aureus variegatus, which is chiefly used as a greenhouse foliage plant. The flowers of O. Jaburan are followed by large showy shining dark blue berries. It is easy to manage in the window, and is almost hardy. O. japonicus is much used in Italy and southern France for a green turf and for border edgings, and it begins to be used for the same purpose in southern California. It needs no clipping, and will stand under the shade of trees, making a dark green lawn-cover, standing well in drought. The species of ophiopogon are propagated by division. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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