Ophiopogon planiscapus Niger - Black Mondo Grass

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Niger' is a cultivar of a small evergreen perennial that it is native to Japan where it grows on open and forested slopes. The cultivar 'Nigrescens' is much grown as a ground cover plant with a softly arching habit. Its leaves turn from green to nearly jet black and can grow to 20cm (8 inches) in height.
From early through midsummer, short spikes of light purple to white flowers are produced in racemes held on short stems above the leaves. These are followed by purplish black berries in autumn.
The plants spread by underground stolons with thick fleshy roots making fair sized colonies which can be separated by division in the spring.

Beautiful as a groundcover in exotics gardens under palm trees or tree ferns