How fast does monkey grass spread?
Growth Rates Standard mondo grass reaches a mature spread up to 1 foot wide within a year or two, but dwarf mondo grass needs two to three years under ideal conditions to reach its spread of 3 to 4 inches.
Will monkey grass choke out weeds?
Outstanding for erosion control, Liriope gracefully fills those spots where nothing else will grow and will choke out most weeds. Tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and even moist areas as well as resistant to deer and willing to thrive in hot, southern gardens, you will love this perennial's hardy personality.
Does all monkey grass spread?
Given the right conditions, monkey grass will grow aggressively and can take over a border in no time at all. I have monkey grass in several areas of my garden, but I have to keep an eye on it, or it will spread everywhere.
Does monkey grass need to be cut back?
Trimming monkey grass isn't mandatory; but as the leaves age, they start to brown on the tips and eventually can look pretty ragged. Each spring, monkey grass grows a fresh set of leaves, so it can easily recover from an annual pruning.
Does monkey grass attract snakes?
"You have to understand, snakes don't like just being out in the middle of an open football field," Clark said. "They want to be around the edges where they can quickly dart to cover. So if you have ivy, if you have a lot of monkey grass, if you have juniper, a lot of these log growing shrubs, snakes love them!
Is monkey grass toxic to dogs?
This plant, also known as monkey grass, looks a lot like long grass and is found in many southern yards. Though it is part of the lily family, monkey grass is toxic to both cats and dogs. However, symptoms are minor and include stomachache and nausea/vomiting.
How close together do you plant monkey grass?
Plant each clump about one foot apart (30.5 cm). Since monkey grass spreads so much, it's often good to plant it somewhere with defined boundaries so it doesn't grow out of control. You will need to divide the monkey grass every 2-3 years to keep it within its original location.
What kills monkey grass?
glyphosateIf you want to get rid of monkey grass, the only way to control it is to use a product that contains glyphosate, the active ingredient in Round-Up. Be careful spraying Round-Up in your lawn as it is a non-selective herbicide and will kill both the Liriope and your desired grass.
Does monkey grass need a lot of water?
Monkey grass doesn't need much water to thrive in the garden, which is one of the reasons why it's such a drought-resistant plant. If you overwater the plant, and the soil does not drain the water away effectively, root rot will eventually show up in your monkey grass.
How do you keep monkey grass looking good?
0:462:18Caring For MONKEY GRASS/Liriope | WHEN and HOW to Prune - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFor the coming season. Yeah if you have monkey grass or loyalty. I would recommend that you trimMoreFor the coming season. Yeah if you have monkey grass or loyalty. I would recommend that you trim that right before it starts growing i know a lot of you probably have the right beer monster grass this
What time of year do you cut back monkey grass?
If you want to know when to cut back monkey grass, you can cut the plants back to 3 inches (8 cm.) in early spring. Pruning monkey grass helps take out the battered leaves and permits new leaves to come in and flourish.
Does monkey grass need sun or shade?
Some prefer full sun, while others are better suited to shade. Some clump, and others creep. All monkey grasses fall into one of two groups: the genuses Liriope or Ophiopogon. In general, all liriopes do well in filtered sun to full shade and aren't picky about soil.
What is the best grass for choking out weeds?
Zoysia is ideal because it actually grows differently. It sends out runners or "stolons," expanding sideways more than it grows tall. This is why it is so dense and effective at choking out most summer weeds and replacing existing grass.
What grass will crowd out weeds?
Zoysia is an extremely aggressive spreading grass that can literally choke out weeds. Zoysia is pleasant on the eyes and feet.
What grass is most resistant to weeds?
Bermuda grass is ideal if you want a weed-resistant lawn when planting warm-season grass. It takes over regions by runners and roots, preventing weeds from gaining a foothold. Kentucky Bluegrass is the best choice for weed control in cool-season grass lawns.
What ground cover will choke out weeds?
The Dragon's blood sedum or Schorbuser Blut is considered the most versatile and toughest ground cover that can choke out weeds. Similar to creeping jenny, this type of ground cover also has stems that easily root, so it's fast to proliferate. A dragon blood sedum is an all year-round charmer.
What type of grass is monkey grass?
Types of Monkey Grass. There are two types of lilyturf or monkey grass plants ( Liriope ). Your choice of monkey grass for your front or backyard depends on the kind of plant you need—clumping or creeping. Liriope spicata is the creeping variety, and Liriope muscari is the clumping variety.
What is monkey grass?
Monkey grass is a group of grass-like flowering plants in the genus Liriope and family Asparagaceae. This low, grass-like plant grows in clumps or as a creeping plant. Monkey grass has long, slender, pointed green leaves and purple or white flowers.
What is the name of the grass that spreads rapidly?
Creeping monkey grass (Liriope spicata) on the left and variegated monkey grass type on the right (Liriope spicata ‘Variegata’) Creeping monkey grass ( creeping lilyturf or Liriope spicata) is a popular ground cover plant that spreads rapidly.
What is the best monkey grass for a garden?
When deciding on the ideal type of monkey grass for your garden, it’s vital to choose the right variety. Liriope spicata is the creeping variety of monkey grass. This plant spreads rapidly and is ideal for ground cover—however, it can become invasive.
How to tell the difference between Monkey and Mondo grass?
To tell the difference between monkey grass and mondo grass, examine the leaves. Monkey grass ( Liriope) has wider blades and is thicker than mondo grass ( Ophiopogon ). Comparing the two species, you’ll notice that monkey grass is more clump-forming and taller than types of mondo grasses.
How far apart should I plant monkey grass?
Plant monkey grass ( Liriope muscari) around beds and paths to create fluffy, evergreen edging. Space each tuft of monkey grass plant around 10” (25 cm) apart to allow the clumps of grass room to grow and spread. You can also plant clumps of monkey grass along sidewalks, driveways, or garden paths to create a flowering bushy border.
Why are my monkey grass leaves turning brown?
However, many brown leaf tips on your grassy plants could indicate a fungal disease problem. Over-watering is the most common cause of browning monkey grass leaves.
What is monkey grass?
"Monkey grass" is a common name heard most often in the South. It can refer to any of three different plants: one type of Ophiopogon (black mondo grass) and two types of Liriope.
What is the best time to plant a monkey grass?
Spring is the best time to start new plants or transplants, when the plant is dormant and there's more moisture to keep the plants from drying out.
How to propagate black mondo grass?
Black mondo grass is propagated by dividing the fibrous roots in spring: Pry the plant clumps from the ground with a garden fork, then use your hands to tease apart groups of roots, dividing them into sections, each containing a few leaves.
How long does it take for black mondo grass to grow?
It makes for a great contrast with a plant like Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' . Black mondo grass is slow-growing and even slower to germinate, taking up to three months or to more to sprout from seed.
Which is better, Creeping Liriope or Big Blue Lilyturf?
Creeping liriope is slightly hardier than big blue lilyturf, so it can be a better choice for northern gardeners. Its blade-shaped leaves are narrower than big blue lilyturf's. Both plants produce flower spikes, but those on big blue lilyturf are showier because they extend above the plant's foliage and are visible from afar.
What is a stemless plant?
It's a stemless plant on which the leaves sprout from the ground in clumps. In summer, a single flower stalk sprouts, carrying small, bell-shaped, pinkish flowers. This grass-like plant is often used as a ground cover for semi-shady areas, or in the front of a border or as an edging plant. It's common in rock gardens and valued for its unusual, ...
Is moondo grass soggy?
Mondo grass must be kept consistently moist but not soggy. The hotter the temperature, the more water is required.
How high can monkey grass grow?
Monkey grass can reach 10 to 18 inches high, and the result is a beautiful carpet-like border that can frame your garden with charming white, pink, or purple flowers. They blossom from July to August, popping up through the green, according to Gardening Know How. Some monkey grass like the Liriope spicata spreads aggressively, so you can fill in an empty hillside fairly quickly with it. Those varieties are better for ground cover than in a garden since it will choke out all the other plants.
What are the two types of monkey grass?
Monkey grass falls into two types: Liriope or Ophiopogon.
How big does a creeping liriope grow?
Creeping liriope or Liriope spicata grow quickly and can cover a big space or hill easily. For instance, Silver Dragon spreads between 8 and 18 inches and can grow as high as 18 inches in USDA zones 4 through 10, per HGTV .
Why is my monkey grass turning brown?
Sometimes too much water hurts monkey grass, and can lead to a fungal condition called anthracnose infection. You'll see that the tips of the leaves will turn brown and then yellow. Monkey grass can also get leaf rot, root rot, and crown rot — all due to too much moisture. This is why it's so essential to plant monkey grass in well-drained soil and to opt out of any device that does overhead watering; instead use a tool that focuses on the roots, such as drip irrigation.
Does monkey grass save money?
Besides being one of the easiest plants to maintain in your garden, monkey grass also can save you money. That's right, the plant multiplies so well that essentially, you can create others of the perennial plant for no cost, said The Gardening Cook. All you need to do is dig up the runners and plant those in a more sparse part of your garden. The plant, in turn, sends out more runners that help propagate the grass.
Can you grow monkey grass with slugs?
Once again, you really have it made with monkey grass, as it doesn't need constant attention or fertilizer. Generally, once the grass is planted, you just let it grow. It does have a few natural enemies: slugs and snails like the foliage and will nibble on it. But they rarely harm the monkey grass. Just remove any that you see, and if they seem to hurt the plant, buy a few slug traps. Be sure to check after a rainfall, which attracts the little buggers, according to HGTV.
Does monkey grass need fertilizer?
However, the best part of monkey grass, no matter what variety you use, is that once it's planted there's little to do; the grass is drought tolerant, pest resistant, requires no or little fertilizer, and only needs mowing annually. If only maintaining our lawns could be as easy as working with monkey grass.
How tall does a monkey grass plant grow?
How to Use Monkey Grass. Most liriope grows to 10-18 inches (25 -46 cm.) in height, although the clumping type spreads to 12-18 inches (30-46 cm.) across. This evergreen groundcover blooms from July to August with white, pink, or purple hued blooms.
What is the name of the grass that grows in the monkey grass?
There are quite a few types of monkey grass belonging to one of two genera: Liriope or Ophiopogon .
What is Monkey Grass?
Monkey grass is a groundcover that looks very similar to turf grass. It is the common name for liriope ( Liriope muscari ), but it is also referred to as border grass. In addition, monkey grass is oftentimes used as the common name for a similar plant, dwarf mondo grass ( Ophiopogon japonicus ).
Is liriope the same as monkey grass?
Are Liriope and monkey grass the same? In so far as ‘monkey grass’ is often the terminology used for liriope, then yes, which is confusing since mondo grass is also called ‘monkey grass’ and yet liriope and mondo grass are not the same at all. In fact, they aren’t even grasses. Both are members of the Lily family.
Can monkey grass be used as a ground cover?
Due to its rapacious spreading habit, monkey grass uses for L. spicata are generally restricted to use as a ground cover in areas where maximum coverage is desired. Dwarf mondo grass is most often used as a replacement for turf grass, but may also be grown in containers or used as a stand-alone plant.
What is the difference between mondo grass and lily grass?
Mondo grass is sometimes called “little monkey grass” because compared to lily turf, it doesn’t grow quite as tall and its leafy blades are thinner, typically just 1/8 inch wide. In shady areas where it’s a challenge to grow turf grass, mondo grass is a suitable alternative.
What is the name of the grass that apes with other grasses?
You might find one of two types of monkey grass aping each other in gardens -- lily turf (Liriope spp.) and mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus). Although they share a common name, the sizes, shapes and growth habits of these grassy lily plant family members have different spacing requirements.
What is the name of the grass that grows in clumps?
The two primary lily turf species have distinctive growth habits. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, big blue lily turf (Liriope muscari) grows in clumps across its perennial range in USDA zones 5 through 10. The Missouri Botanical Garden points out that creeping lily turf (Liriope spicata) actually spreads as a ground cover in USDA zones ...
How does creeping lily turf spread?
It spreads by rhizomes, which are modified stems that form an underground network of continuous growth. Because creeping lily turf forms a carpet of greenery , it excels as a dense ground cover. But it lacks the restraint of blue lily turf, which makes it unsuitable as a border plant for flower beds or islands.
How tall does a cleopatra grow?
'Cleopatra' has dark green leaves and grows 24 inches tall, compared to a maximum height of 18 inches of the species.
Is lily turf the same as mondo grass?
Lily turf and mondo grass are commonly mistaken for one another, but on second glance, their differences are clear. In U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11, mondo grass is a suitable ground cover for shady areas. The leaves, which resemble grass, curve backward. The two primary lily turf species have distinctive growth ...
What Is Monkey Grass?
Monkey grass is a common name for two kinds of ornamental grass that look similar but are actually different types of plants.
What is the most common type of monkey grass?
Ancha Chiangmai/Shutterstock. This is the most commonly planted variety of monkey grass. People also call it clumping liriope because of the way it grows in compact masses. It is a low-growing flowering plant with typically dark green leaves from one to two feet high.
What is a good grass for landscaping?
Monkey Grass Roundup. Liriope, especially the clumping variety, liriope muscari, is a useful plant for landscaping. It’s particularly suitable as a border or as groundcover where shade prevents turf grass from growing. And while you’re here, be sure to check out our post on purple flowering trees.
What is the difference between monkey grass and liriope?
But while it looks similar, there are differences. Dwarf monkey grass is shorter and has finer leaves than liriope.
Why use Liriope grass?
There are many reasons to use Liriope, but gardeners typically like that it: Flourishes in deep shade where other grass won’t. Stands up to foot traffic, pets, and shallow soil. Grows well in most areas, even in standing water.
Is monkey grass a good plant for a garden?
Monkey Grass: A Versatile Plant for Homes. If you’re looking for a plant to use as a ground cover or simply want a unique addition to your garden, you should consider monkey grass. This hardy evergreen plant requires little care and looks great. Read on to learn more.
Is liriope grass a grass?
Water the fertilizer in to protect foliage. To control weeds, it’s best to hand-pull the offending invaders. While liriope is called monkey grass, it’s not actually a grass. It’s from the lily family.
Can you remove monkey grass?
Removing monkey grass can be difficult but not impossible. There’s really no single best way to remove monkey grass. Rather, you need to find the method of monkey grass control that works best for you and your particular circumstance. That said, here are some ideas for ridding the garden of monkey grass: Dig it up – Digging up unwanted plants is ...
Is monkey grass invasive?
It’s also the plant’s hardiness and carefree nature that can result in its invasiveness though, as the eagerly growing monkey grass begins to turn up in unwanted areas of the landscape.
