liriope

noun

li·​ri·​ope lə-ˈrī-ə-(ˌ)pē 

plural liriopes or liriope

: any of a genus (Liriope) of stemless Asian herbaceous plants of the asparagus family that are widely cultivated as ground cover for their grasslike leaves and small white, blue, or violet flowers

They're great at holding soil, and the liriopes have the added bonus of producing handsome flower spikes in the summer.

—Neil Sperry

Ground covers, such as periwinkle, pachysandra, … and liriope are attractive, low-water, low-maintenance alternatives to growing grass (especially in shady areas).

—Laura O'Neil

… plants that are grass look-alikes—the sedges, the rushes, mondo grasses and liriope.

—Kathy Huber

called also lilyturf, monkey grass

Examples of liriope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s often confused with liriope, which is considered invasive in some regions and no longer recommended for landscape plantings in many parts of the South. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 May 2026

Be aware, however, that liriope can be invasive in some regions. — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Apr. 2026

Removing foliage on the evergreen liriope and mondo grass gives them a cleaner start. — Janet B. Carson, arkansasonline.com, 31 Jan. 2025

A number of my flax lilies, liriope and bromeliads have grown big and thick. — Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Nov. 2024

Her friends planted the liriope and placed the stones around it, and plan to put in grass seed in the spring. — Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Liriope, a nymph in Roman mythology

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above