Liriope 'Monroe White'

Liriope 'Monroe White': White Spikes That Brighten Dry Shade

'Monroe White' is the friend who can survive dry shade under a black walnut and still look freshly pressed. Bright white spikes over glossy, arching leaves. TOUGH CROWD? NOT A PROBLEM.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Liriope muscari 'Monroe White' (also sold as 'Monroe's White')
• Common Name: Lily Turf, Lilyturf
• Height: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)
• Spread: 35–45 cm (14–18 in)
• Flowers: Large, dense spikes of bright white flowers held just above the leaves
• Bloom Time: Late summer to early fall (August to September)
• Foliage: Glossy, dark green, arching, grass-like leaves; semi-evergreen in our winters
• Features: Tolerates dry shade and black walnut, clump-forming

Where to Plant: Use it to edge a shady walk, brighten the ground under shrubs, or mass it where white flowers will read from a distance, such as a moon garden. It tolerates black walnut, but keep it out of hot afternoon sun, and in colder parts of our region plant it in a sheltered spot with reliable snow cover.

Companion Plants: Edge a moist, shady bed with 'Monroe White' and back it with maroon hellebores, pink astilbe and a blue hosta. Helleborus HGC® Ice N' Roses® Bennotta opens maroon-red flowers at 30 to 40 cm from March to May. Heuchera 'Grape Soda' adds grape-purple foliage at 20 to 25 cm. Astilbe 'Bressingham Beauty' brings long, arching pink plumes at 90 to 100 cm in July and August. Hosta 'Bressingham Blue' adds big, cupped blue leaves at 70 to 75 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. It tolerates clay or sand but not soggy roots. Keep it watered through its first summer, then water only in long dry spells. It grows a bit more slowly than other lily turfs, so give it time to fill in. In early spring, before new leaves emerge, cut last year's foliage back to about 7–8 cm (3 in) and tidy away the debris, taking care not to damage the crown. Divide in spring when you want more plants.

History: W. L. Monroe of Atlanta, Georgia selected 'Monroe White' as a seedling and introduced it in 1957. The species, Liriope muscari, is native to China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan, and its name comes from Liriope, a nymph from Greek mythology, and from muscari, the grape hyacinth its flower spikes resemble.

Final Thoughts: Plant it in that sad, dry shade where nothing else will go. Then pretend you planned it that way all along. WHITE LIES ARE ALLOWED.