Species · genus Ophiopogon · Asparagaceae

Dwarf Lilyturf

Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl.

Also known as: Mondo Grass · Ophiopogon · Snake's-beard · Dwarf Lily-turf · Lily Turf Grass

Growth habit

perennial

Native range

China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam

Reference · O. japonicus

Cultivars of O. japonicus

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under O. japonicus yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

A low, grass-like evergreen perennial from the woodland understory of East and Southeast Asia, spreading by fleshy roots and tolerant of shade. It prefers steady but moderate moisture and dappled or filtered light rather than harsh sun. Water when the top inch of mix has dried, and avoid leaving it standing in saturated soil.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-14d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Medium light

Water

≈ every 14 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

5–24 °C

Soil mix

Well-draining, humus-rich mix; tolerant of most soils

Propagation

Division of the spreading clumps

Fertilizing

Light balanced feed once or twice in the growing season

Growth rate

Slow

Flowering

Small pale lilac to white flowers in summer, uncommon indoors

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Not yet documented

This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-14d) · ai:claude-fable-5

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Dwarf Lilyturf yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.