How To Prevent And Control Liriope From Spreading

While Liriope, also commonly known as lilyturf or monkey grass, is considered one of the best ground cover plants that love shade, it does have the tendency to spread if it's not kept under control. In fact, certain species are quite aggressive, and you'll find they might even be considered invasive in some states such as Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina. But, if you do have these hardy plants growing in your garden, you can limit their growth and even prevent them from expanding using physical barriers or digging up and dividing the clumps when they get too large.

Before you decide on the best way to contain your Liriope, you'll need to identify which one you have as there are two common species which have different growth habits. One species, Liriope spicata, is a spreading form and the most aggressive grower. It extends quickly through underground rhizomes. The other type is Liriope muscari, which is a clumping form. Although Liriope muscari will also expand by growing offshoots around the perimeter of each clump, it's a little more well-behaved and easier to restrain, especially when you know about techniques for dividing perennial plants like Liriope successfully.

The best way to control spreading Liriope spicata is to put in a physical barrier consisting of a metal edging which you bury alongside the borders of the plants, making sure that you sink it into the ground at least 18 inches deep. This kind of edging will stop the underground rhizomes from continuing to spread beyond the rigid barrier. Another awesome benefits to know about using metal edging is that it can also stop your lawn grass from spreading into your garden beds. If you don't want to install a barrier, you can also dig around the edges of the Liriope and pull out any root sections that are threatening to overtake the rest of your garden. Use a sharp spade to sever the runners from the main plant and then dig down and remove any rhizomes you find in the surrounding soil. Container growing is also a suitable option for fast-spreading Liriope spicata. 

Liriope muscari, the clumping variety, can also be kept in check with a solid metal edge, or by digging around the clumps to remove the little offshoots if they're likely to invade areas where you don't want them. Of course, the other thing you can do to limit the expansion of the clumps is to put in some surface hardscaping, such as a gravel path or even a surrounding border made from rocks or bricks. If you have yet to plant any Liriope, be sure to seek out the clumping type. Liriope muscari is particularly useful as a border plant along paths or driveways where its spread can easily be halted by simple hardscaping.