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Name: translation into ancient Greek Japanese name"snake beard"

Description: grow in the tropical and subtropical zones of East Asia and the Himalayas. There are about 20 species in the genus.

Perennial plants with short thickened and long thin rhizomes intertwined with fibrous roots with rhizomes. The leaves are basal, collected in bunches, thin. The inflorescence is a raceme. There are 3-8 flowers in a bunch, they are on short stalks; the perianth below is fused and forms a short tube; its lobes diverge to the sides at the middle or apex of the ovary. Stamens 6; filaments shorter than anthers. The ovary is semi-superior, three-locular, with 2 ovules in each nest. The fruit is not cracking. The seeds are round and berry-shaped. Very close to the genus Liriope.

IN southern, and especially in subtropical, areas are widely used as decorative leaf border and ground cover plants. The variegated forms are of particular value.

Ophiopogon yaburan– Ophiopogon jaburan Lodd. = Slateria jaburan Sieb. = Mondo jaburan Bailey White Japanese lily of the valley. Found in Japan, zones 7-10. In harsh winters, plants of this species must be carefully covered. Bush stolon-forming perennial. The leaves are ribbon-shaped, leathery, basal, with a flat plate 0.7-1.2 cm wide and 45-90 cm long, with blunt or as if chopped off ends, many-nerved. Peduncle almost equal in length to the leaves. The inflorescence is racemose, 7-15 cm long. Flowers in racemes, light lilac or white, 0.6-1.2 cm long. The fruits are violet-blue. Several varieties have been developed: Nanus– compact, slow-growing, rarely flowering. Winter-hardy down to -15 degrees. Vittatus(syn. Argenteovittatus – syn. Variegatus) The leaves are pale green. In the middle and along the edges there are narrow stripes of white, yellow or creamy color. White Dragon– the stripes become wider and almost merge, displacing the green color. Photo by Kirill Tkachenko

Ophiopogon japonica– Ophiopogon japonicus Ker-Gawl.= Convallaria japonica Thunb. = Mondo japonicum Farwell It grows in shady places on low-mountain plains in the subtropical and warm-temperate zones of Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Northern China. Zone 7-10. Tuberous rhizomatous perennial. Rhizomes of short nodes with thin stolons; the roots are abundantly fibrous, with tuberous thickenings. The leaves are thin, harsh, narrow-linear, 15-35 cm long. and 0.2-0.3 cm wide, 5-7 veins, more or less curved. The peduncle is shorter than the basal leaves, bears a loose, multi-flowered inflorescence 5-7 cm long. There are 2-3 flowers in a bunch, they are small, drooping, 0.6-0.8 cm long, with a short tube at the base and a wide open perianth with a lilac-reddish or more or less whitish limb. The fruits are blue-black berries. Varieties: Compactus– narrow and dense. Kyoto Dwarf– low up to 10 cm Silver Dragon– with white stripes on the leaves Photo by Kirill Tkachenko

Ophiopogon flat-arrowed– Ophiopogon planiscapus Bush-like spreading rhizomatous perennial. The leaves are belt-shaped, curved, dark green, 10-35 cm long. In summer it blooms with short clusters of bell-shaped flowers, white or with purple tint. The berries are spherical, fleshy, blue-black. Zone: 5-9. "Nigrescens"(syn. Arabicus, syn. Black Dragon) - very showy almost black leaves. The flowers are creamy white, the fruits are black. The height of the clumps is 25 cm. They look great among plants with regular green foliage. Winter-hardy down to -28 degrees. Photo on the left of Anna Petrovicheva Photo on the right of Olga Bondareva

Location: sunny or partial shade. It is important that the place is not in direct sunlight, otherwise the plant may not bloom.

The soil: slightly acidic, moist, well-drained, fertile, humic.

Care: annual autumn fertilizing is required leaf humus and regular watering throughout the season.

Diseases and pests: may be affected by rhizomatous rot and leaf spot. Young leaves are very popular with snails and slugs.

Reproduction: sowing with freshly harvested seeds or dividing rhizomes in the spring. The rhizome is divided so that each segment has 8-10 leaves and as many roots as possible. Ripe berries are sown in soil consisting of equal parts of peat soil and sand whole in boxes for germination. Keep it in the shade at a temperature of 10 degrees. When the seedlings reach a height of 5-8 cm, you can transplant them into separate 8 cm pots one at a time. Planted in open ground at a distance of 15 cm from each other.

Usage: cultivated for their dense rosettes and decorative leaves. Grown as herbaceous ground cover, for borders or in rockeries. Non-frost-resistant species can be grown in winter gardens in a potting mix based on high humus soil, in full light or bright indirect light. During the growth period, monthly feeding with complete mineral fertilizer.

Ophipogon is not large, but original in appearance. It grows in a dense bush, the rhizomes are also compact and short. From small bulbs, long leaves with golden-yellow and silver-white stripes emerge in bunches. Carpal inflorescences on thin stalks look like cereal spikelets. Varieties with variegated leaves are prized. Flowers come in a variety of shades: white, lilac, lilac, blue, violet. In its homeland it begins to bloom from late spring to late summer. In our climate, later. Very undemanding to environmental conditions, but at the same time considered quite rare. In nature, there are more than sixty species of lily of the valley.

Some types of shrubs:

• Ophiopogon or lily of the valley, inflorescences white, blue fruits.
• Ophiopogon yaburan, white-lilac inflorescences, blue-violet fruits.
• Ophiopogon japonica, small pink and lilac inflorescences, blue-black fruits.
• Ophiopogon flat-arrowed, spectacular leaves of black and black-green color, inflorescences of white and Pink colour, fruits are black with blue.

Monkey grass in landscape design

There are hybrids created specifically for landscape design. The beauty of ophiopogon is that it changes old leaves to new ones almost imperceptibly, so it always looks fresh. Leaf blades come in very original colors. And how beautiful its fruits, berries and flowers look against the background of leaves.

The plant tolerates shaded areas in the garden, near the house, in parks and squares. This ground cover, creeping shrub is used in landscape design to decorate the contours of flower beds, fountains, artificial ponds, borders and paths. Looks very good on light pebbles, and in contrast with light plants. Landscape designers widely use it for landscaping park areas, squares and gardens.

The use of ophiopogon for healing the body

Lily of the valley exhibits antimicrobial activity - it has phytoncidal properties. These substances enhance recovery processes in tissues, stimulate the body's protective and immune forces. That's why register personal plots This plant near the house is not only beautiful, but also useful. Air enriched with phytoncides improves the health of people suffering from diseases of the nervous and respiratory system. Therefore, walks before bedtime in gardens and squares where ophiopogon grows are useful.

They know and apply it especially well medicinal properties in China. The roots of this plant are used: for wet coughs, diseases gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and nervous system. Found in the root system of monkey grass fatty acid, isoflavonoids, polysaccharides, cyclic peptides, saponins. Extensive research is being conducted on the use of steroidal saponins for the treatment of patients with liver cancer and other types of cancer. Isoflavonoids have an anti-inflammatory effect and are used to treat patients with acute skin inflammatory processes.

Growing lily of the valley as a home or garden plant, you can not only admire it, but also get healthier.

Growing ophiopogon in open ground

Monkey grass adapts well to different climatic conditions. It has high frost tolerance. It is suitable for countries with temperatures during the winter months of up to 28 degrees below zero. Tolerates dry summers well. Loves shade and partial shade very much, only variegated varieties cannot tolerate shade. For better development and growth of the plant, it is necessary to ensure regular soil moisture. Also, every spring and summer, ophiopogon must be fed with fertilizers with a complex of organic and mineral additives. It does not need pruning, it is simply recommended to remove the leaves as they die.

Growing lily of the valley indoors

• Lighting. Ofiopogon looks very beautiful in city apartments and office premises. Since this plant tolerates shade well, it can be placed even in the darkest corners of rooms. But the southern ones - sunny sides premises for lily of the valley are contraindicated.
• Air temperature. For good growth and development, ideally the air temperature in summer period should be 18–25 degrees above zero, and in winter from 5 to 10 degrees above zero. In winter, monkey grass is kept at a temperature of about two degrees Celsius and placed in a room without heating. In the absence of a cool place, ophiopogon must be sprayed. In summer, the fountain plant is taken out onto the loggia.
• Transfer. The replanting operation is carried out in the spring, into soil consisting of a mixture of peat, turf and sand in equal parts. Be sure to lay a drainage layer of pebbles, expanded clay or polystyrene in the pot to prevent rotting of the roots. Containers for planting lily of the valley need to be squat and wide. For young plants, the pot and soil are changed every year, and for more mature ones, once every 3 years.
• Watering. In order for the lily of the valley to develop well and bloom with its unusual spike-shaped flowers, the plant must be provided with the necessary watering scheme. In summer, ophiopogon is watered abundantly but regularly. And in winter it is much less. Do not under any circumstances overfill or overdry the substrate. The shrub does not like dry air. Therefore, in summer, in the heat, and in winter, when heating dries the air, regular spraying is carried out.
• Fertilizer. Organic and mineral fertilizers are the most optimal for ophiopogon. Fertilize monkey grass in spring and summer time year approximately from one to three times every seven days. In autumn and winter time They do not feed for years.
• Some tips for breeding. Since ophiopogon is ornamental plant, then they propagate it like many such representatives - vegetatively. This is a simpler and more justified way. Of course, you can propagate by seed, but since monkey grass gives a large number of shoots, it doesn't make sense.

Every 2–3 years, in the spring, the roots of the monkey grass are divided into small bushes with leaves of 7–10 pieces each. Each bush is transplanted into a separate pot with prepared substrate and drainage.

At the end of autumn, ripe lily of the valley fruits are collected. Seeds are squeezed out of the fruits and berries, which are washed and soaked in water until germination. The prepared sprouted material is planted in containers with loose substrate at a distance of 2-3 cm. Afterwards, watering is carried out and the soil is covered with polyethylene to prevent the substrate from drying out. The container is placed in a cool place, and seedlings are expected to appear by the end of November. When young seedlings grow to 9–10 cm, they can be transplanted into open ground or prepared containers.

Diseases, pests of ophiopogon and methods of combating them

Ophiopogon is practically not susceptible to diseases, but there are some insects that harm the plant. These are thrips and whitefly. Snails and slugs love to eat young leaves.

It is easier to prevent the appearance of thrips than to fight this insect. Pests lay eggs under the skin sheet plates, making them extremely difficult to destroy. Only the strongest concentrated drugs help. At the same time, all flower stalks of the plant are cut off. Treatment is carried out once every ten days until the thrips are completely destroyed.

Another pest is the whitefly. Its larvae damage the leaves of ophiopogon. There are many methods to combat it. You can set up sticky traps to catch adults. From folk remedies– spraying with herbal and garlic infusions. Also, once a week the plant is treated with various chemicals- insecticides.

Some types of ophiopogon

• Ophiopogon or Lily of the Valley (Ophiopogon), The rhizomes are short, slightly thickened, intertwined with roots with small bulbs. The leaves, collected in densely growing bunches, are thin and lanceolate. The inflorescence resembles a spikelet. The inflorescence has from three to eight flowers on short pedicels. The fused perianth below forms a short tube. fruit berry of blue color. The seeds are round in shape.
• Ophiopogon jaburan, Plant height is from ten to seventy centimeters. Lanceolate leaves with blunt tips are collected in a dense rosette, growing at the roots (centimeter wide, 80 cm long). The peduncle is even, with leaves of equal length. The inflorescence is racemose, stretching to a height of up to 15 cm. Appearance small flowers are somewhat similar to lilies of the valley. They come in different color scheme: white or pale lilac. The berry of the fruit is blue with a purple tint. Other subspecies with different colors of stripes on the leaf blades are white-silver and yellow.
• Japanese ophiopogon (Ophiopogon japonicus), The fibrous root system consists of small nodules. The basal leaves grow upward, are quite narrow and rigid. The length of the peduncle is less than the length of the leaves. The flowers are small, not densely growing, several in an inflorescence. It is quite loose and reaches a length of up to 7 cm. They come in colors: pink or lilac. The berry of the fruit is black with a blue tint.
• Ophiopogon planiscapus, The leaves are wider than those of all species, look like belts up to 30 cm in length. The color comes in: black, dark emerald. Racemose inflorescences. The flowers are large, bell-shaped, white or pink. The fruit berry is round, juicy, black and blue in color. Other subspecies with different leaf colors. There are black, dark emerald with a purple tint. The buds are painted white with a delicate cream tint.

Find out more about what ophiopogon looks like here:

Ofiopogon flat-firing Nigrescens

OphiopogonplaniscapusNigrescens

The plant received the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain in 1993.

Synonyms: Niger (Niger), Arabicus (Arabicus), Black Dragon (Black Dragon, Black Dragon), Lily of the Valley.

Plant group: cereal perennial.

Family: lilies.

Habit: hummocky.

Form: unique and inimitable in decorativeness unusual perennial evergreen ornamental grass, 20-50 cm high with spectacular, almost black, arched leaves and light bell-shaped flowers. Ophiopogon flat-arrowed Nigrescens is distinguished by abundant fruiting.

Leaves: basal, thin, linear, collected in bunches, almost black with a metallic tint, which together form a dense turf. The leaves remain year-round and die off almost imperceptibly.

Bloom: drooping, small, bell-shaped, white-pink flowers in bunches of 3-8 pieces, collected in spike-shaped brushes. They stand out against the background of dark foliage.

Flowering time: July August.

Fruit: numerous fleshy blue-black berries.

Root system: short thickened rhizome with intertwined fibrous roots and rootlets.

Attitude to light / insolation: grows well on sunny places and in partial shade. Blooms more profusely in light shade.

Humidity: Ophiopogon Black Dragon prefers moderate humidity where it grows and does not tolerate swampy conditions.

Soil type/ soil: loves moist, light, loose, humus-rich and nutrients soils with a slightly acidic soil reaction.

Planting/care: The main procedures for caring for Ophiopogon Nigrescens are weeding, watering, and removing dry or damaged parts. The time for planting perennials in containers grown in a nursery lasts the entire growing season. The best time spring is considered, although planting in August, September and even October also gives good results. Perennials planted in late autumn must be protected from freezing before winter.

All plants purchased from the PROXIMA nursery are provided with long-acting fertilizers with the latest formulas from the best European manufacturers and can be sold in your garden center without additional fertilizing for a whole year. But the greatest advantage of buying potted plants is that they can be planted, without purchasing additional fertilizer, from March to December - even on the hottest days of summer.

Pests/diseases: Ophiopogon Arabicus is extremely rarely affected by diseases and pests. But possible threats include rhizome rot and leaf spot. And snails are also partial to young leaves.

Application: Only recently have perennials been interpreted as an evenly rowed element of a garden composition. They are suitable for gardens and parks, the source of which were traditions in english style, and the art of the East, the harmony of China and Japan. All of them are built on the fact that the basis of the garden is the natural beauty of plants, subject to continuous changes in time and space.

Ophiopogon planiscapus Nigrescens is used in both single and group plantings. The unusually beautiful inflorescences of ophiopogon are used to create dry floral compositions. In order to “compensate” for the absolute absence of cereal herbs in the vast majority of Ukrainian gardens, before garden centers And landscape designers The task arose of popularizing cereal perennials. Wet lawns, sometimes with one mow, tall solitary plantings in sunny places, roof gardens, framing a natural and artificial pond, edging in the sun (plants found on open wild surfaces of meadows, steppes), in the front rows of a flower garden, among low conifers, in mixborders, rockeries, rock gardens, composition of herbs in moist partial shade, etc.

Ophiopogon flat-arrowed Black Dragon looks very elegant in contrasting compositions, against the background of plants with light foliage or, for example, on white decorative pebbles. It looks no less impressive in various rocky gardens, low borders and mixborders, as well as in containers.

Climatic zone/frost resistance zone: 5-6 frost-resistant for the entire territory of Ukraine. To protect against burns, cover with shade or white non-woven synthetic material. With basic care (watering, weeding) trunk circle, mulching, fertilizer, shelter) can protect the plant throughout Ukraine.

You can buy Ophiopogon Nigrescens in Kyiv at low prices in the PROXIMA plant nursery.

Ophiopogon plant, botanical description

Ophiopogon is known by many names: it is often called Japanese lily of the valley, monkey grass, lily of the valley and even dragon sting. It is grown not only in the garden, but also at home. It does not require diligent care and, if growing conditions are suitable for it, retains its green growth all year round.

• The rhizome of the lily of the valley is branched, located shallow from the top layer of the earth. There are tubers on short roots small size.
• The above-ground part is a dense growth of dark green color, which consists of numerous basal rosettes.
• The leaves of ophiopogon are linear, smooth on the sides, and the edges are strongly pointed. The color of the foliage is different: light green, rich green, gray-violet. The leaves grow from 15 to 35 cm in length, depending on the variety; their width rarely exceeds 10 mm.
• Ophiopogon in the photo is a spreading bush with densely spaced greenery. It retains its color and shine all year round.
• The flowering period is July-September. 20-centimeter flower stalks hatch among the turf. They are dense, burgundy in color, ending in spike-shaped inflorescences.
• Ophiopogon flowers have a short tube of six purple petals, which are tightly fused at the base.
• When flowering comes to an end, ophiopogon is covered with weighty clusters of berries. Their shape is round and their color is blue-black. The berries ripen with small yellowish seeds.

Varieties and varieties of ophiopogon

The genus Ophiopogon is not numerous and is represented by twenty species, but only three are common in culture. Also, thanks to breeding work, several dozen hybrid varieties lily of the valley

Ophiopogon yaburan - rhizomatous perennial. It actively grows, forming dense clumps. The height of the bushes varies between 30 and 80 cm. The dark green foliage of this beautifully flowering species is linear, numerous, and leathery. The edges of the leaves are slightly smoothed, the lower surface of the leaf blades is covered with a relief pattern in the form of longitudinal veins.

The leaves of Ophiopogon Yaburan are long - 60-80 cm, and the classic width is 1 cm. The peduncle of the perennial is erect, crowned with an inflorescence up to 15 cm in length. The fragrant flowers have a tubular shape and a delicate color - white, light purple, and in some varieties - dark purple. Externally, the flowers resemble lilies of the valley.

This variety has beautiful varieties:

• Vittatus is an amazing variegated variety: light green foliage with contrasting white stripes;
• Аureivariegatum - a variety with elegant leaves with a golden tint;
• Nanus is a decorative bush of compact size, with good frost resistance down to -15 °C; often grown at home;
• White Dragon - variety with beautiful name White Dragon. His varietal feature― silvery-white leaves.

Ophiopogon japonica - shade-tolerant variety native to the subtropics. The rhizome is fibrous with many tubers. The foliage is deep green in color, hard to the touch, linear in shape, slightly curved towards the central vein. Average length - 15-30 cm, width only 3 mm. The peduncle of Ophiopogon japonica is short, the inflorescence is small - 6-7 cm. The flowers are drooping with a lilac-red tint, the petals are up to 8 mm long.

Interesting! Zoological stores often advise planting ophiopogon in the aquarium. It really looks attractive in the water among fish, and even the inhabitants of the aquarium do not eat it. However, Japanese ophiopogon can grow in such conditions for no more than three months. Then its roots begin to rot, which disrupts the biosystem of the aquarium.

The species has hybrid varieties:

• Compactus - low-growing clumps, with small narrow leaves; differs in shade tolerance;
• Kyoto Dwarf - a dwarf variety up to 10 cm high, highly decorative; often grown in rock gardens;
• Silvery fog is a variegated variety with leaves decorated with a longitudinal gray stripe; over time forms a thick green carpet;
• Albus - a variety with bright green foliage and delicate white flowers; ideal for decorating Japanese-style gardens;
• Minor is a variety with dark green leaves, among which bright blue berries ripen.

Ophiopogon flat-arrowed ― unique look called "black grass". It is the most popular type in landscape design. The plant quickly grows a spreading clump. The wide leaves can be of different lengths from 10 to 35 cm, their shape is belt-like, but the most valuable thing is their color - dark green, and in some varieties black and purple. The species blooms with large flowers; they can be milky white or pink. Ophiopogon berries are numerous and very dark.

The most popular varieties in gardening are:

• Ophiopogon Niger - amazing beautiful variety with black leaves of medium length (no more than 25 cm). The flowers are creamy-white, fragrant, the fruit is round charcoal-colored berries. The variety is winter-resistant and does not freeze even at -28⁰С;
• Black Dragon is a first-class variety with many awards from horticultural communities. It has a special leaf color - black and purple with a slight burgundy tint. The variety grows quickly, the clumps reach 50 cm in height. Flowering lasts from July until the end of autumn. During this period, the plantings are covered with fragrant white and pink flowers. In warm regions, the variety grows as an evergreen.

Indoor ophiopogon - heat-loving dwarf species For home grown. The leaves are compact, belt-shaped, their color can be solid dark green or variegated.

Growing ophiopogon from seeds

Seed propagation of lily of the valley is a labor-intensive process that not every gardener can do.

• In autumn, before the onset of frost, ophiopogon berries are collected. The fruits should be black, which indicates their ripeness. The berries are crushed, and the resulting pulp is washed repeatedly in water to separate the seeds. After this, the seed material is soaked in water. If you fail to collect ripe berries, you can buy ophiopogon seeds in a specialized store.
• After 2-3 days, the seeds are pulled out and laid out on the surface of the soil poured into the box. For sowing seeds, it is advisable to prepare a sand-peat substrate. Then the seeds are sprinkled thin layer soil, watering is carried out.
• The box with seeds is covered with a cover - glass or film. After this, the container with the sown seeds is taken out to a cool place with a temperature of +10 °C. The first shoots appear no earlier than after 3 months.
• After this, the shelter is removed and normal seedling care is carried out. When the shoots reach 10 cm, they are planted in a prepared place in the garden.

Ophiopogon, planting and care in open ground

The Japanese lily of the valley is unpretentious in care, so it adapts to new conditions without difficulty. Its hard leaves perceive partial shade and plenty of sunlight equally well. Even indoor views Ophoipogona grow well on windows with both northern and southern orientation.

• Lily of the valley is planted in areas with fertile, slightly acidic soil. For normal growing season, plants are planted at a distance of 15-20 cm. A ball of expanded clay must be placed in each hole to ensure regular drainage of excess water. Planting of seedlings is carried out using the transshipment method to prevent damage to the root system.

Advice! Varieties with dark foliage prefer shaded areas, while variegated varieties are best planted in a sunny location.

• Planted plants require abundant watering. It is important to ensure that the soil is moist at all times, but there should not be stagnation of water. On very hot days, ophiopogon clumps are watered 3-4 times a week, at other times - once every 3 days. To prevent moisture loss, plants are mulched using compost.
• Caring for lily of the valley includes fertilizing. You can use complex mineral mixtures that feed the plants 2 or 3 times per season. Humus is also suitable for feeding - it is applied in September.
• Lily of the valley does not need pruning. If desired, you can regularly remove dried leaves to maintain a decorative appearance.
• Lily of the valley overwinters without shelter. For winter period, under the snow cap, the plant retains the beauty of its foliage rosette. Although ophiopogon is winter-hardy, in regions with cold, snowless winters it can freeze. Its luxurious greenery will completely disappear, although the rhizome will not be damaged. To preserve the decorative nature of the crop, it is better to cover it with spruce branches.

Reproduction of ophiopogon

• Lily of the valley, in addition to the seed method, reproduces well by dividing the rhizome. This method allows not only easy way get new bushes, but also preserve the decorative foliage characteristics of different varieties.
• The division of adult bushes is carried out in the first weeks of spring. The bush is dug up, the rhizome is cleared of the earthen lump, and then cut into sections with a sharp, disinfected knife.
• The rhizome is divided into several parts so that each of them retains a tuber and many healthy roots. Then the divisions are planted in new holes with drainage and added compost. At the end, a good watering is carried out.

Pests and diseases of ophiopogon

Japanese lily of the valley practically does not get sick, but is often damaged by pests - thrips, slugs, whiteflies.

• Snails and slugs happily eat the leaves of young seedlings. Therefore, it is necessary to collect them in time or use special traps.
• Thrips actively lay eggs under the skin of leaves, so it is extremely difficult to get rid of them. Highly concentrated insecticides help to destroy pests, which need to be used to treat not only the affected ophiopogon bush, but also neighboring crops, since thrips spread quickly.
• Another persistent pest is the whitefly. The larvae of this insect damage the foliage and spoil the decorative appearance of the plant. Treat the affected flower with garlic infusion or insecticide.

Ophiopogon, home care

• Indoor cultivation of ophiopogon is quite simple. The plant is planted in pots with good layer pebbles. The soil is fertile. It should consist of leaf and turf soil, sand and peat. Once every three years, mature bushes must be transferred to a new pot.
• Water the lily of the valley frequently, preventing the soil from drying out. In winter, watering is limited, and the soil is moistened only after its top layer has dried by 1.5-2 cm. Only soft water is used for irrigation.
• If the air in the apartment is very dry, the leaves must be sprayed. It is advisable not to place flowerpots near heating devices. The best option There will be an air humidifier placed near the ophiopogon. It could be like electrical appliance, and a container of water.
• Japanese lily of the valley tolerates heat well, but it is better to keep it in cool conditions. In winter, it can be taken to a room where there is no heating. In April indoor varieties can be taken out to an open loggia or directly into the garden.
• Indoor lily of the valley rarely gets sick. But if you overdo it with watering, its roots may suffer from rot. If this happens, you need to dig up the plant, remove the rotten roots, then treat the plant, soil and flowerpot with any fungicide.
• Fertilizing indoor ophiopogon is carried out frequently - every three to five days. You can use complex mineral fertilizers. In the autumn-winter months, feeding is suspended.
• At home, ophiopogon is propagated vegetatively. Once every three years, a large bush is divided into 7-8 divisions, which are planted in separate pots. You can also use seed propagation, but there is no need for it, since lily of the valley grows very quickly.

Ophiopogon in landscape design

Most hybrid varieties of Japanese lily of the valley are created for landscape design. The plant's popularity in gardens is due to its ability to change foliage unnoticed, making it a beautiful evergreen. In addition, interesting leaf colors allow you to add brightness and unusualness to every garden where ophiopogon is planted. Its fruits – exotic dark blue berries – also add a special highlight.

Low-growing varieties of lily of the valley are used as a ground cover crop. Varieties with dark purple foliage are successfully planted in shaded areas - in parks, around houses, at the foot of trees. The plant looks beautiful near artificial reservoirs, fountains, Japanese gardens, mixborders.

Ophiopogon - beautiful indoor plant from the Liliaceae family. Translated from Japanese language The name of the flower is “bearded snake”. There are about 20 species of ophiopogon. The plant is common in many Asian countries. Among them are Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and Northern China. Nowadays people like to grow the plant at home. Ophiopogon attracts not only its beauty, but also beneficial properties. The flower destroys pathogenic bacteria in the room where it is located. In addition, it does not require special care.

Ophiopogon is very similar to lily of the valley, which is why it is popularly known as lily of the valley. This is an evergreen plant Not big size. Its narrow linear leaves form a turf. The flowering period occurs in July-August. Flowers of white or lilac color, collected in ears. When the plant flowers, blue berries are produced.

Types and varieties of ophiopogon

In indoor floriculture, the two most common types of plants are Japanese ophiopogon and ophiopogon yaburan.

Ophiopogon yaburan - perennial herbaceous plant with short rhizomes. Its homeland is Japan. Its natural habitat is subtropical forest. The dark green leaves of the lily of the valley reach a length of 80 cm and a width of 0.6-1.2 cm. The shape is linear. Numerous white flowers of small size are collected in racemes. The leafless peduncle is about 60 cm high.

Ophiopogon japonica has short leaves and low inflorescences. The leaves of this species are green, but in some cases they are also purple. The root system is more developed. The flowers are purple in color. It was first grown in the 19th century on the Korean Peninsula in Japan. Grows in subtropics and temperate forests.

Flower growers managed to develop new interesting varieties Ophiopogona.

In the variety Silver Dragon variegated leaves with longitudinal white stripes. The Compactus variety is compact in size. It has a very neat rosette of leaves. There are dwarf varieties whose size does not exceed 10 cm.

Rules of care

Despite the fact that the Japanese lily of the valley is unpretentious, you need to know the intricacies of caring for it.

Ophiopogon can be bred in almost any room. Cool and warm places suit him. In winter he loves the cold. Feed the plant in spring and summer.

If you care for the plant incorrectly, it will get sick. Spots will appear on the leaves. Its main pests are thrips and spider mites.

Temperature

Ophiopogon is able to adapt to different temperatures throughout the year. In summer it needs a temperature of 18-25 degrees. The ideal temperature for Japanese lily of the valley in winter is 15-16 degrees, as the plant needs rest. It can be taken out to an unheated loggia. If the room is hot, its leaves will dry out. At high temperature indoor air, it is better to install a humidifier in the room. The plant will feel most comfortable on the eastern and western windowsill. In summer, the flower can be placed on the balcony.

Reproduction of ophiopogon

Japanese lily of the valley reproduces vegetatively. Bushes are divided in spring or summer. Ophiopogon gets along peacefully with other plants. It can be planted in the same pot or container with other plants you like. You can grow lily of the valley using seeds.

Landing

Ophiopogon prefers nutritious soils. Bone meal must be added to the soil mixture. To prevent water from stagnating in the pot, you need good drainage. Pebbles and expanded clay can be used as drainage. The flower can be grown hydroponically.

Transfer

The plant should be replanted into a large pot every spring. Ophiopogon requires loose soil. The best soil for him a mixture of leaf and turf soil with sand.

Watering ophiopogon

Lily of the valley is not afraid of dry air. In summer, the plant should be regularly watered abundantly, but the water should not stagnate in the pot. The soil in the pot should be moist. In winter, moderate watering is needed. When watering, you need to make sure that the earthen ball does not dry out. But at high temperatures in the room in winter, regular watering is needed. If the plant is not watered, it will get sick. Ofiopogon in natural environment grows in a monsoon climate with heavy and frequent rains. He will be unaccustomed to drought.

For irrigation, soft, settled water at room temperature is required.

Lighting

Japanese lily of the valley is considered unpretentious plant. In its natural environment, it grows under the canopy of trees, constantly being in the shade. He has no lighting special requirements. It can be grown in rooms with low light. He will do well in sunny rooms. Not only on the windows, but also in the back of the room. The plant does not need additional lighting in winter. sunlight on short winter days it is enough for him.