Lilyturf care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) wants partial shade and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 10. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Liriope muscari |
|---|---|
| family | Asparagaceae |
| category | grass |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | partial shade |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| mature height cm | 40 |
| min zone | 5 |
| max zone | 10 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Lilyturf?
Edging workhorse; mow it in late winter.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is low. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 26 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 8.0. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 150 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: yes. It has been recorded down to -23°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a rhizomatous form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads vegetatively at a rapid rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 0.5 feet. Its roots go down at least 12 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in late summer. The flowers are blue. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is coarse. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is black. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: no. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02