POSTED BY PEGGY: Monkey grass is also know as Lily Turf or Liriope Grass. Liriope is pronounced (lir-RYE-oh-pee). I find it one of the hardest plant names to pronouce. It doesn’t roll off the tongue like other botanical names. I’ve heard lots of interesting interpretations over the years.
Liriope is a tough groundcover plant. It survives in full sun or deep shade, wet or bone dry conditions. It will stop erosion on even the steepest hillsides. It will spread and fill in quickly. Weeds don’t stand a chance in the thick mass of solid liriope. There are two types or species of Liriope Grass.
The Liriope that Spreads
Liriope spicata spreads.
Liriope spicata spreads.
There are lots of places for spreading liriope, by itself in a contained area, like the right-of-way between the street and the sidewalk. Another might be a steep, shady embankment where there’s room to keep it in check. Or in full shade, where its spread is less aggressive.
The Well-Behaved Liriope
Liriope muscari mounds.
Liriope muscari is the “clumping” kind that does not spread by runners and basically stays where you put it (think “m” muscari = mounding) . It blooms purple, not white like spicata, but it shares all the good qualities of the spreading kind – incredible toughness and adaptability, without the invasive behavior. There are lots of great varieties of Liriope muscari.
The varigated variety has a green-and-white leaf that brightens up any shady spot.
Variegated Liriope muscari
Liriope ”Big Blue’This lilyturf cultivar is a tufted, grass-like perennial which typically grows 12-18″ high (sometimes to 2′) and features a clump of strap-like, arching, glossy, dark green leaves (1″ wide). Clumps slowly expand by short stolons, but do not spread invasively like Liriope spicata. Erect, showy flower spikes with tiered whorls of dense, lavender flowers, somewhat resembling grape hyacinth (Muscari), rise just above the leaves in late summer. Flowers give way in fall to blackish berries which often persist into winter.
Liriope 'Big blue'
For more varietes of Liriope go to: http://www.sugarcreekgardens.com/Plant%20Listings%20and%20Photos%20Files%20and%20Images/Perennials/Perennials%20L/Perennials%20L.htm
Regardless of what variety you have, it’s time to trim it. Liriope can be cut by hand, weed whacked or mowed. Liriope stays evergreen all winter, but looks tattered in the spring. If you look closely, you will see the new growth shooting up. Cutting back the old growth will allow the new growth to freshen things up.
Liriope Grass Before Cutting in Spring
Lirope Grass after mowing
New emerging Liriope Grass
