Liriope minor
(Maxim.)Makino.
Asparagaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name:
General Information
Liriope minor is a Evergreen Perennial up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat
Lowland and foothills all over Japan[
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
]. Forests, shady hillsides and grassy slopes at elevations of 600 - 2600 metres[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
| Height | 0.30 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sandy soil[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Succeeds in full sun so long as the soil does not dry out in the summer, otherwise it should be grown in partial shade in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Not very hardy in Britain, it is best to give the plants some protection in the winter[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
Closely related to L. muscari[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[
233- Title
- Perennial Garden Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- J. M. Dent & Sons, London.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0 460 86048 8
- Description
- A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
].
Edible Uses
The following use is reported for L. graminifolia, but there is a lot of confusion between members of this genus (compare [
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
] and [
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]) and it is quite possible that the root of this species is also used[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Root - cooked[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
179- Title
- Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Reid. B. E.
- Publisher
- Southern Materials Centre; Taipei
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
]. Candied and used medicinally[
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. The root has a fleshy, tuberous part near tip[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Rich in mucilage, the root also contains about 1.6% protein, 0.5% fat, 80% carbohydrate and 2.3% ash[
179- Title
- Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Reid. B. E.
- Publisher
- Southern Materials Centre; Taipei
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
].
Medicinal
The root is aphrodisiac, pectoral and stimulant[
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
A good drought tolerant evergreen ground cover plant[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Propagation
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing it in a cold frame or greenhouse as soon as the seed is ripe if possible, if not then sowing the stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
