Liriope muscari 'Okina'

Just 15 inches high and wide, this fountainous little plant is the glory of the spring garden, with long, slender leaves of purest white! In cool climates the white will last for months, but even in hot, humid locations it holds into summer, and first gives way to mint-colored tips, which are just about as showy as the snowy white was! By fall it will have greened entirely, but since Frosted Monkey Grass is evergreen in all but the northernmost reaches of its hardiness range, the color is welcome as winter sets in!

Frosted Monkey Grass is grown for its foliage, but the flowers are charming as well. In midsummer this plant sends up 10-inch spikes topped with lilac blooms -- very showy against the changing foliage colors! Happiest in partial shade, Okina is a must-have along the path, wreathing a bed or patio display, or in containes. Lay it at the feet of Japanese Maples, particularly those that show their best color in springtime. You could even circle the Daffodil bed with a frosty halo! The possibilites are endless!

Unlike some white-foliaged plants, Frosted Monkey Grass is every bit as hardy and vigorous as other Liriope. By greening out in late summer, it stores up enough nutrients to perform just as you'd expect it to -- indifferent to poor soil, heat, and humidity! Long-lived and low-maintenance, it's a great addition to the partly-shaded perennial border, where it makes silvery Ferns simply glow!

Okina isn't too fussy about how it gets its sunshine, but if you want the absolute best coloring for the longest time, the ideal setting is in morning sun and afternoon shade. Any well-drained garden soil is fine. Space these one-year-old plants about 10 inches apart for a thick, colorful line of ghostly beauty! Hardy in zones 6-10.