Ophiopogon planiscapus Black Beard ['Yapard'] PP22,128 (Large Black Mondo Grass) - An evergreen perennial that forms a clump to 12 inches tall by 24 inches wide with 18-inch-long narrow black grass-like leaves that arch gracefully outward and down. The flowers are similar to typical black mondo grass (using Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') with whitish lilac color but are on a longer (up to 14 inch) flower spike. The flowers are followed by dark, nearly black berries in fall.
Best in part sun or light shade in a well-drained soil with regular watering. Hardy at least to USDA Zone 6a (-10°F). An interesting larger Black Mondo Grass that we felt would be stunning in the landscape and in containers.
Ophiopogon 'Black Beard' is a selection from a breeding program using Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens, that was made by Steve Yandall of Rainbow's End Nursery in Cornwall, England. It received US Plant Patent PP22,128 in September 2011. For more information about the parent plant and the naming of the black mondo grasses, see our listing of Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'.
We received this plant from Pacific Plug and Liner Nursery in January 2009 and thought its description of having larger foliage and more vigorous growth rate would make it a great plant for containers or as an unusual colored groundcover and while but the tissue culture plants that we received never exhibited foliage much larger than the normal form of Black Mondo Grass, so we discontinued growing it in 2013.
The information about Ophiopogon planiscapus Black Beard ['Yapard'] PP22,128 displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |