perennial
Lilyturf 'Big Blue'
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Hardy in zones 6–10, Lilyturf 'Big Blue' is an evergreen perennial. It grows 1–1.5 ft tall and 1–1.5 ft wide, so plant it 1 ft apart. Give it full sun to shade and average water. It flowers purple in August to September. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the grass role: a grass-like plant with narrow leaves that adds fine texture in the middle of the bed. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.
Invasive warning: listed as invasive, noxious or banned in North Carolina. FloraVista never puts it on a list for a yard in that state. Check your state's list before planting.
Facts from our plant table
- Botanical name
- Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'
- Plant type
- Perennial, evergreen
- Hardiness zones
- 6 to 10
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours); Part shade (2–4 hours); Shade (under 2 hours)
- Water
- Medium
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates clay and drought once established.
- Mature size
- 1–1.5 ft tall × 1–1.5 ft wide
- Spacing
- 1 ft apart (centre to centre)
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Bloom
- Aug–Sep · purple
- Roles in a bed
- Grass, Edge
- Styles
- classic, modern
- Deer resistance
- Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
- Pets
- Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. ASPCA lists lilyturf (Liriope muscari) as non-toxic to dogs and cats.
- Native to
- Not native to the US (or a garden hybrid)
- Pot size and price
- 1-gallon pot, typically $8–$15 (easy to find)
- Plant in
- Spring or Fall
- First-year watering
- Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Established plants need water only in dry spells.
- Pruning
- Cut or mow back to 3 inches in late winter before new leaves emerge.
Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Web search 2026-11: NC Invasive Plant Council list (Rank 3); not found on VA DCR list (Arlington and Alexandria list it locally only); US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate). Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.
Guides that include this plant
- What to plant in a full-sun bed in zone 9 (as a substitute)
- What to plant in a part-shade bed in zone 7
- What to plant in a part-shade bed in zone 9 (as a substitute)
- What to plant in a shady bed in zone 7
- What to plant in a shady bed in zone 9 (as a substitute)
Good companions
The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Lilyturf 'Big Blue', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.
- Cast iron plantAspidistra elatiorperennial · zones 7–11
- Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'groundcover · zones 7–10
- Mondo grassOphiopogon japonicusgroundcover · zones 7–10
- Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'Heuchera villosa 'Caramel'perennial · zones 4–9
- Anise-scented sage 'Black and Blue'Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'perennial · zones 7–10
- Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'ornamental grass · zones 5–9
If you can't find it
Substitutes our engine offers for Lilyturf 'Big Blue': same role in the bed, passing the same rules.
- Japanese sedge 'Evergold'Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'zones 5–9 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata'Liriope muscari 'Variegata'zones 6–10 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'zones 5–9 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'zones 5–9 · not flagged toxic to pets
How this page was made
This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants