Mai Men Dong

Ophiopogon japonicus is a low, evergreen, grass-like perennial herb of the Asparagaceae (formerly Liliaceae), native to Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam and widely cultivated as an ornamental groundcover. It grows 15–30 cm tall in dense tufts from a short rhizome connected by slender stolons. The basal leaves are linear, dark green, 10–30 cm long and 2–4 mm wide, arching gracefully. In summer, slender scapes shorter than the leaves bear loose racemes of small, nodding, pale lilac to white six-tepalled flowers, succeeded by bright blue, berry-like seeds. Along the fibrous root system arise the characteristic small, fusiform tuberous swellings, 1.5–3 cm long, translucent yellowish-white when freshly dug. These tuberous roots are the medicinal organ, harvested in summer and dried.