Gardening and Horticulture - Monkey Grass Question

Hello all,

I have been told that a particular low-growing ornamental grass planted at my house (as a perennial bed border )is called Monkey Grass. I am now noticing small purple blossoms popping up.

Is this a type of Monkey Grass? I am totally unfamiliar with the stuff. It looks like the same stuff planted around the edge of the herb garden, but those aren't blossoming. Those are are in direct sun, while the others are in partial shade.

Just curious.


North Garden Gal

Norhgardengal,
Monkey grass, also known as liriope, usually blooms in the summer and fall. But this has been a crazy(warm) winter here in VA. Mine isn't blooming yet, at least not in the part-shade area near the house. I transplanted a bunch last year and it adapted quickly. Most of the growth you see now is last year's growth.
Some people simply mow over it early in the spring to get rid of last years growth. It comes back real quickand even gets thicker.
fred

Thanks Fred! Since it's sort of "clumpy" looking, I might just trim it way back to let it fill in a bit more.

Elizabeth

P.S. I have heard of Liriope - never heard it called Monkey Grass, though. Live and learn!

Hi northgardengal and fred~~ :)

The nursery I shop at has always had "monkey grass" and "liriope" as two different plants, but after your post, fred, I did a little searching and found that they are sometimes called the same thing! Learn something new everyday!

The "monkey grass" (they also call it "mondo grass") at my nursery is much smaller than what they call "liriope", but looks quite similar. I've had both in my yard for a pretty good while and I've never seen the "monkey grass" bloom. The "liriope" blooms little purple stalks of flowers every year.

:confused:

I have found that many plant names have become regionalized.
I never heard of monkey grass in OH, then I moved to VA.
Here's a good site on the many liriopes and it's cousins:

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/OF-29.pdf

Thanks for that site, fred! I get a great education here! BTW...I've got kin in OH ! :)

Yes, Fred, thanks for that link. I have just finished printing it out and will read it with my afternoon tea. I have looked at some other sites and some make a solid distinction between Liriope and Mondo Grass. So, Florajo, I will check that out closer, as well and provide a full report.....:)

It is very curious that these plants (the ones in the shade only so far) are putting forth blossoms and they are unquestionably purple. For a lack of a better description, they kinda remind me of a grape hyacinth blossom.

Sure would be nice to have a digital camera like so many of you guys here in this forum!!! We'd have this mystery solves in nothing flat.

I'll let you know if I discover anything worth mentioning......:)

North Garden Gal

Well, gang, I give up!

Since I have read that these plants, Liriope and Mondo Grass, are cousins (information from Fred's link), mine are one or the other....

The end!!!!

:)

Elizabeth

Elizabeth,
Don't give up, and it's not the END yet.
I'm still questioning the blooming of a liriope(monkey grass) this early in the spring. I Just read this: "In early April, cut back ornamental grasses (including liriope) to within a few inches of the ground if you haven't yet done so. New growth is about to emerge. " and " Bloom Time: Mid Summer"
So I don't think your liriope is blooming yet. Here's a good site on a variegated variety: http://www.gardenpursuits.com/groundcovers/liriope/lmuscariv2000.html

Is it possible you have a bed of muscari (grape hyacinth)???
Mine are now blooming: A spear-shaped blossom(one to two inches-purple/blue) that actually emerges from right near the soil level. My new muscari green growth is about three inches high, but there is also some of last years green growth which is about 10 inches long.

fred

Hi Fred,

You are so perceptive...you sensed my frustration in trying to figure this out, didn't you? :)

Grape Hyacinth is exactly what I'd first thought they were, but the 3" to 4" stems on these little fellows are so flimsy, and there are no low-growing hyacinth-looking leaves surrounding them. They're coming right out of the middle of these tufts of grass.

This would be the perfect time to have that digital camera..... for capturing a U.F.O. (Unidentified Flowering Object!)

I'll check out the web site

Thanks Fred. We'll get to the bottom of this yet.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth,
"Grape Hyacinth is exactly what I'd first thought they were"

Go with your first instinct here - that's what I'd bet the farm on!

Send me a PM with your email adress, an I'll gladly send you a pic or two of my grape hyacinth, both leaves and flower close-ups.
Presently waiting till I go out in 25 degrees here in sw VA and taking a couple pictures!!

fred

Okay Elizabeth,
Here we go.
I just took some pics and added them to my site, since it's too cold to be playing golf.
The Grape Hyacinths pics are three links down at the bottom of the page.

http://www.photofun.com/IM/Templates/index.cfm?Position=1&Username=Fewalt&SubSite=11008&LinkedPage=24972

fred

Hi there Fred,

I managed to really focus on those grassy tufts over the weekend, paying even more attention to the blooms. Thanks to your help and the web sites you steered me to, the jury was able to reach a verdict:

THEY'RE GRAPE HYACINTHS!!!

How come the leaves are so grassy, though? I've planted the grape hyacinths in the past and they never looked like that!

I would be curious still to see some of the pictures you have, so let me know if you get the chance to take some. (25 degress in SW Virginia -- yuck!)

Incidentally, the gardenpursuits.com website is the neatest....I've referred back to it several times already, for reasons other than identifying liriope, and it's a lot of fun, and loaded with info.

Bye Bye for now....and I'm glad we got to the bottom of this, in spite of all my embarrassment. You're right, I should have stuck with my first instinct.

Elizabeth
aka: The proud grower of many grape hyacinths :)

Elizabeth,
You missed them - the pic link is noted above.
I noticed on mine that most of the new green growth is 3 to 6 inches, but some of last years growth is stringy and over a foot long.
fred

Sorry Fred, I sure did miss the link before....In too big a hurry!

As you said with your hyacinths, there is a lot of long, stringy growth on mine, too. Can't wait til they're finished blooming, because I'd like to trim them back.

And the other stuff around the veg garden (not blooming) is probably monkey grass. Or liriope...:)

You've been a tremendous help and your patience is so hugely appreciated...

Thanks!!!!

Elizabeth

a little off the subject here but hopefully it will fit in:

i have mondo and i am getting some grass (bermuda) in it, not bad just around the edges. it is enough that simply pulling the grass would be a futile effort. a landscaper told me i can spray it with roundup. he said the mondo is tough enough that the roundup will not kill it, but will do the grass in...anyone in agreement???

SB,
I don't know that I would chance it. You could try it in one area, but I believe anything that is green can be affected by the roundup. It has a smothering effect on the photosynthesis.
Let us know though,
fred

I agree with Fred. I wouldn't do it in a conspicuous spot. From what I've experienced...Roundup kills everything !