Ophiopogon chingii

Ophiopogon chingii is a small perennial native to Asia that forms an attractive evergreen ground cover all year round, easy to grow and highly decorative under trees, along pathways or in partially shaded areas of the garden. Its grass-like foliage, very fine and slightly twisted, creates a vegetation that appears frozen in motion by the wind. It is adorned in summer with discreet cream-white flowers, followed by berries of a beautiful turquoise blue that have earned it its common name 'turquoise grass'. Perfect for dressing the base of bushes, often dry in summer, this Ophiopogon also grows very well in a pot, where it serves as a backdrop for flowering plants.

Ophiopogon chingii is a perennial plant with trailing rhizomes of Japanese origin. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family, and is a distant cousin of our lily of the valley. This plant grows in small, slightly flattened, particularly dense tufts, with a beautifully disordered appearance, which barely exceed 10cm in height, but spread slowly, without any theoretical limit. The growth of this plant is quite slow. The foliage persists all year round, but it can be destroyed during particularly harsh winters without endangering the plant. The leaves, very narrow and leathery, are more or less curved and have a slightly glossy medium green colour. Flowering takes place in July-August. The small whitish flowers, quite insignificant, carried by short stems, slightly protrude from the foliage. They give way to decorative fruits the size of a pea, of a turquoise blue colour, which persist for many weeks. Once well established, this perennial requires no maintenance.

Robust and hardy, but still relatively unknown, Ophiopogon chingii has a long lifespan, and its ease of cultivation will certainly make it a popular choice in gardens. Its main enemy is excessive limestone. Plant it in partial shade, in a rich, light humus soil. Unlike grass, it does not tolerate trampling, so plant it on the edge of woodland, in a fresh rockery, along a pathway... In a very Japanese-inspired spirit, this low-growing ground cover can be installed in front of a massif of Liriope muscari, shade-loving Carex, or Japanese grass Hakonechloa 'All Gold', for example.