Liriope spicata Silver Dragon

The  Liriope 'Silver Dragon' is a particularly bright form of Liriope spicata, whose long dark green leaves are marginated with white. It is a resilient and resistant perennial groundcover plant that is valuable for landscaping difficult areas such as the base of hedges or trees, or for edging a pathway, stabilizing a dry slope, or the edge of a water feature. More or less evergreen in winter, the clump spreads fairly quickly to form a decorative groundcover that requires very little maintenance. This variety is adorned with small, discreet but charming purple flower spikes in late summer. 

The Liriope 'Silver Dragon' belongs to the Liliaceae family (Asparagaceae). Its ancestor, the Liriope spicata, is native to temperate Southeast Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam). Similar to Liriope muscari, this more compact species is also considered more trailing, and capable of colonizing the soil more efficiently and rapidly, sometimes becoming slightly invasive where it thrives.

The 'Silver Dragon' selection, like many variegated foliage plants however, proves to be slower-growing and easier to control than its wild ancestor. This herbaceous perennial with rhizomes is capable of producing stolons, which are creeping above-ground stems that root upon contact with the soil, allowing it to spread laterally. It forms a dense cluster of leaves, reaching a minimum height of about 30 cm (12in) and a width of 45 cm (18in). Its growth rate is moderate. Its leaves generally persist throughout the winter, except in the coldest regions where they may dry out and turn brown; in this case, they will need to be mowed in the spring, when vegetation resumes. The leaves are ribbon-like, lanceolate, and can measure about 40 cm (16in) long and 1 cm (0in) wide, depending on the growing conditions. Emerging white, they quickly turn green and become marginated with creamy-white. Flowering occurs in August-September, earlier or later depending on the climate, on very short flower stalks, somewhat hidden within the foliage, at the center of the leaf clumps. The flowers form small spikes adorned with tiny mauve bell-shaped flowers. The nectar-rich flowering attracts pollinating insects and is often followed by the formation of shiny, blackish fruits. 

Liriope spicata 'Silver Dragon' is a bright, elegant, adaptable, versatile, and very useful plant in a garden, especially in slightly shady areas. Its high resistance to cold, drought, and shade allows it to be used in various situations: in woodland areas, at the base of trees or hedges, as a border to accentuate the design of a pathway, in rockeries, or in Japanese-style gardens. It pairs well with other resilient woodland plants such as lily of the valley, Naples cyclamen, or Solomon's seal. It is also a plant that thrives in containers, on a windowsill, or balcony. It is so adaptable that it can tolerate occasional forgetfulness in watering and thrives in gardens without gardeners or in weekend gardens.