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Growing Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens'
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Ophiopogon - Growing Guide

Growing Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens'

Lilyturf

This is an evergreen, clump forming, perennial in the garden which is much used and admired for its strap shaped curving black leaves. It is a rhizomatous plant and grows only to 6-8in in height with a spread of perhaps double this. While this is principally a low growing foliage groundcover plant for rockeries or the edges of a border it does have flowers! These are borne in upright racemes of purplish-white flowers followed by spherical fleshy blue-black fruits.

O. planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ can be used effectively underneath a specimen plant in a pot or in larger planters to give colour variation. They look great in pots in the greenhouse or even in a window box.

These plants can be grown in full sun or partial shade but the leaf colouration may sometimes fade a bit to dark green in shade. Mulching in spring helps to feed them and they enjoy improved soils with the addition of loam. In the greenhouse a summer liquid fertiliser feed will encourage more growth and flowering.

The ripe seeds can be sown as soon as they are ripe in a container in the cold frame. Otherwise these plants can be gently divided in the spring as growth commences.