Liriope minor aka Lesser Lilyturf

Liriope minor is a small plant in the Asparagaceae family. It is evergreen and lives for more than two years. Its native range spans China and temperate eastern Asia. Records place it in Japan, Taiwan, and several Chinese provinces. In Japan, it grows in lowlands and foothills. It also grows in woods, on shaded hillsides, and on grassy slopes. Known sites lie 1,970–8,530 feet [600–2,600 metres] above sea level. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant grows about 1 foot [0.3 metres] tall. It keeps its leaves all year. Kew calls it a perennial or a rhizomatous geophyte. The latter means a plant with underground stems that store food. Flowers bloom from June to July. Each has both male and female organs. Seeds ripen from August to September. The supplied records for this species give no flower colour. They do not describe its fruit or mature spread. Nor do they give leaf sizes in detail.

In gardens, it suits woodland sites and serves as ground cover. Choose dappled shade and soil that drains well. It prefers sandy soil but grows in loam too. Soil with a fair level of nutrients suits it. It accepts slightly acid, neutral, and slightly alkaline soil. Full sun suits it where soil stays moist through summer. In drier sites, choose part shade. It copes with drought and grows in dry or moist soil. PFAF lists USDA zones 7–10. It warns that British winters may cause problems. It advises winter cover there.

To raise more plants, divide them in spring. Plant large pieces straight into their final sites. Keep smaller pieces in pots while their roots grow. PFAF also suggests growing plants from seed under cover. It notes that this advice lacks facts specific to this species. Its method uses fresh seed, or stored seed in early spring. Keep young seedlings under glass through their first winter. Plant them out after the last expected frost. Do this in late spring or early summer.

PFAF records past use of the root as medicine. Uses include a stimulant and a remedy for chest complaints. These records do not show that such treatments work or are safe. Its food-use account draws on a different species. It also relies on a plant whose identity is uncertain. Thus, it confirms no edible part for this plant. PFAF lists no known hazards, but this does not prove safety. It flags no risk of becoming a weed. The supplied species evidence names no pests or diseases.