<em>Ophiopogon</em>, snake beard: planting and care

Description and botany

Ophiopogon is a perennial herbaceous plant in family Liliaceae, like lily-of-the-valley, native to shaded thickets and wooded areas of China and Japan.

Genus, often confused with Liriope, includes about fifty species with rootstock and stolons, the most common in gardens being Ophiopogon planiscapus also called “Snake’s-beard” or “dragon’s-beard” and its cultivars such as ‘Nigrescens’ with glossy black foliage, Ophiopogon japonicus, nicknamed “Lily-of-the-Valley-of-Japan”, and Ophiopogon jaburan with more arching leaves.

With rather slow growth but long-lived habit, it gradually spreads via its fleshy rootstock or stolons to form small low, dense tufts, spreading or more erect of 0.10 to 0.45 m in height, depending on species. In some cultivars, habit can be decidedly lawn-forming as with Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Minor’, which will not exceed 10 cm in height.

This gramineous plant forms evergreen groundcover given mild winter, with attractive strap-like foliage, plain or variegated, evoking by its fineness and narrowness that of grasses or a “snake’s beard”!

Fine linear, ribbon-like and leathery leaves, 5 to 60 cm long with a strongly marked central vein, are more or less arching and take on unusual colours.

Ophiopogon japonicus – botanical illustration

Colours range from pale green to very glossy dark green, purplish-black in ‘Hosoba Kokuryu’ or almost black in Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’; leaves can be variegated or streaked with cream-white or gold, almost masking green, depending on variety.

In early summer, from these very architectural tufts emerge discreet inflorescences of small bell-like flowers resembling lily-of-the-valley, white, creamy-pink or tinged lilac or purple. Gathered in small clusters 4 to 15 cm long on leafless stems, they measure 0.5 to 7 mm in diameter, are composed of 6 campanulate petals and contrast beautifully with the foliage.

They are followed by very pretty (but toxic!) fleshy fruits in form of berries, round to ellipsoidal which persist for a long time. Pea-sized, they measure 0.5 to 5 mm in diameter. Shiny, they display, depending on species, all shades of blue, from bluish-black to vivid blue and even turquoise (‘Minor’), which earned the plant its nickname “Turquoise-grass”.

Hardy (-10, -15°C), Ophiopogon can be grown in many regions. It tolerates both non-scorching sun and deep shade at tree bases, and grows in ordinary, fertile, slightly acidic, fresh and well-drained soil.

Used alone or planted in groups, it lends an exotic charm to modern gardens as well as more natural spaces and produces a striking effect of colour and movement.

It is an excellent plant for semi-shade that will fully play its role as groundcover in a shade garden, at edge of a bed of shade bushes, in cool understorey, in rockery and even in pots.

Ophiopogon planiscarpus ‘Nigrescens’ : superb black foliage and small bell flowers

Species and main varieties

About fifty species of Ophiopogon exist, the most widespread in our gardens being Ophiopogon planiscapus and Ophiopogon japonicus, and several unmissable cultivars offering a lovely range of solid colours or sumptuous variegated shades or subtly cream-striped leaves.

Most popular

Black Ophiopogon - Ophiopogon planiscapus Nigrescens

Only gramineous young plant with almost black leaves! Magnificent as edging or in a pot in a small Japanese garden or scree garden!

• Flowering time August, September
• Height at maturity 25 cm

See the product sheet

Ophiopogon planiscapus

Forms a compact clump of attractive strap-like foliage, dark green lit by small pale pink bell-shaped flowers in summer. To grow on borders of beds, in a rockery, in pots, troughs or planters in gentle sun or shade!

• Flowering time August
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Our favourites

Ophiopogon planiscapus Hosoba Kokuryu

A new Ophiopogon gracile with sublime purplish-black foliage, decorative all year round. It adapts to many uses: at the foot of large trees, on edges of beds, in a shaded rockery, in pots, troughs or planters on a terrace. Works wonders in a scree garden or a small Japanese garden.

• Flowering time August
• Height at maturity 20 cm

See the product sheet

Ophiopogon japonicus

A very turf-forming variety that resembles an herb. Ideal planted between paving joints or as an edging in a Japanese-style garden.

• Flowering time August, September
• Height at maturity 10 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant Ophiopogon?

Easy to grow, with reasonable hardiness (-10, -15°C), although its foliage can be damaged by cold, Ophiopogon will fare better in regions with mild winters. Once established, it also offers good drought resistance.

It is a perennial that prefers shade and partial shade, but will adapt to almost any aspect, even sunny, provided the soil remains moist.

It will grow faster in preferably non-calcareous soil, slightly acidic, rich in humus, well-drained, especially in winter since winter flooding is fatal. It will tolerate soil dried by tree roots and even clayey soil provided it is well-drained.

It is the original groundcover for shaded areas of the garden, to which it brings a lot of lightness and contrast.

Planted alone or in groups by combining several varieties with varied colours, it provides roundness, colour and a touch of exoticism to the humblest setting.

While it fully plays its role as groundcover in a shade garden, in a shady rockery, in the joints of paving or on a shaded border, it also establishes well in a bed of heather soil in humus-bearing, cool soil as well as in a cool woodland at the foot of trees where nothing else grows.

Miniature species are perfect for pots.

When to plant Ophiopogon?

Plant Ophiopogon in the garden in spring, from April to May in cold climates when risk of frosts has passed, or from September to October elsewhere.

How to plant Ophiopogon?

In open ground

Plant Ophiopogon in loose clumps or in masses of 7 to 9 plants per m2 spaced 20 to 60 cm depending on size and spread at maturity, for an attractive groundcover effect all year round in mild climates.

In heavy soils, incorporate coarse sand or gravel to improve drainage.

• Clean soil well
• Dig a hole 2 to 3 times wider than the rootball
• Plant in a mix of excavated soil enriched with compost
• Firm lightly
• Water generously

In pots

The substrate must be very free-draining to prevent moisture stagnating at the roots.

• At the bottom of the container, spread a good drainage layer (gravel or clay balls)
• Plant in a rich mix of potting compost, loam, heather soil and one third coarse sand
• Water
• In cold regions, protect from severe frosts in bad weather by housing in a greenhouse

Care and maintenance

Once established, in fertile, cool and well-draining soil, Ophiopogon requires almost no maintenance.

In summer, water once a week during prolonged dry periods.

In a pot, keep waterings a little more regular to keep substrate slightly moist during growth — once to twice a week, allowing it to dry between waterings. In winter, keep almost dry, without letting the plant dry out.

In bad season, in regions with severe winters, even though it is relatively hardy, you can protect it from severe frosts by housing it in a cold greenhouse.

Elsewhere, in the garden, mulch its base from autumn with a good layer of leaf litter and add leaf mould at the base.

At the very end of summer, tidy clumps by removing dry leaves to keep an elegant appearance.

Frosted foliage of an Ophiopogon planiscarpus ‘Nigrescens’ in winter

Disease and potential pests

Very resistant to diseases, Ophiopogon is rarely endangered. In spring, however, its young foliage may suffer slug attacks. Follow our tips to naturally keep these gastropods at bay or make traps!

In pots, with excessive watering, foliage may yellow: in summer, make sure the substrate is allowed to dry out between waterings.

Infestations of red spider mites can occur in a greenhouse if conditions become too dry: shower plants regularly as a preventative measure.

Multiplication

If sowing is possible in autumn, using seeds harvested from your Ophiopogons, the fastest and most reliable method remains division of clumps or separation of stolons in spring on well-established plants.

Dividing Ophiopogon clumps

• Using spade blade, lift clump to remove rootstocks or stolons that are leafy and have as many roots as possible
• Replant divisions immediately into well-prepared soil enriched with well-rotted compost, or into buckets

Find more advice in our video “how to divide an ornamental grass”

Pairing Ophiopogon in the garden

With its graphic habit, attractive all year round in mild climate, Ophiopogon lends itself to many uses and allows creation of original, highly colourful scenes. It is indispensable in low-maintenance gardens, where it forms in all seasons a tapetum of evergreen leaves.

Its graphic habit is invaluable in pared-back contemporary scenes, minimalist gardens and gravel gardens.

An example of a contemporary pairing: Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, Heuchera (‘Marmelade’ for example) and Acaena

In colder regions, it lends an exotic touch to terraces and balconies.

It is the small groundcover perennial indispensable for bringing originality to shady, cool areas of shade gardens, alongside spring bulbs and other shade-loving groundcover perennials such as hostas, ferns, pachysandra, bergenias, hardy geraniums, epimediums, vinca minor, heucheras or liriopes muscaris, which are equally easy and accept the same growing conditions.

At the heart of a bed of bushes for heather soil, its low silhouette will dress the base of Acer or Japanese maple, hydrangeas and magnolias.

An idea for a pot combination: the foliage of Ophiopogon ‘Hosoba Kokuryu’ contrasts with golden foliage (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’, Veronica repens ‘Sunshine’, or why not (Campanula garganica ‘Dickson’s Gold)), on a backdrop of bamboo (Fargesia murielae ‘Bimbo’, rufa, robusta…)

It is also a wonderful small perennial for a Japanese-style or zen garden alongside Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Bamboos and Nandina.

At the edge of a mineral bed, it will keep company with modest-sized grasses such as carex and Japanese grasses or with dwarf bamboos such as Sasa veitchii.

→ Discover other pairing ideas with Ophiopogon in Jean-Christophe’s advice sheet!