Photo: Liriope spicata, Alyssa Morel
Alyssa Ford Morel
Almost every gardener in the U.S. has planted or nurtured at least one invasive plant. They may have even loved it without realizing the problems it poses. Until fairly recently there wasn’t even a good definition of what an invasive plant or animal was. Executive Order 13112, signed in 1999, finally codified the fact that invasives are (1) not native where they are occurring, (2) able to escape cultivation, and (3) capable of causing harm in the wild to human health, the economy, or the environment.
Embracing that definition and opening our eyes to the problems of invasives can be a rude awakening and hard to accept. Worse, acting on it can be a lot of work. But taking action in our own yards can also be an empowering act of hope for the future of our environment.
One extremely popular plant that has recently been showing its invasive qualities and is on invasive lists in various northern Virginia jurisdictions is Liriope, commonly called Monkey Grass or Lilyturf. There are several varieties of Liriope, including clumping Liriope muscari and spreading Liriope spicata, and while Liriope spicata’s running habit is particularly difficult to control, both are increasingly showing up in wild spaces, crowding out native plants that wildlife depend on.
Liriope muscari, which clumps. Alyssa Morel
Liriope spicata, which spreads. Alyssa Morel
Liriope was introduced to the United States from Asia more than 200 years ago. It is a hardy, evergreen member of the asparagus family, often used for edging or as a ground cover. It has purple-blue spring flowers and sets blackish berries in fall. Liriope can be dug out, though it is rarely a one-and-done process. Roots, rhizomes and dropped seeds that hide can sprout and must be dug again. Take heart, repeated effort for two or three years will remove it all.
Fortunately, there are great native plants that support biodiversity and can fill the garden roles played by Liriope. Like Liriope, all three of these choices are evergreen.
Plantain-leaved Sedge or Seersucker Sedge (Carex plantaginea), Elaine Mills
Carex plantaginea (Plantain-leaved Sedge or Seersucker Sedge) has strappy, rippled leaves. Its bright lime-green color and the maroon and green stripes of its spring inflorescence stalks make it a standout in its preferred shady habitat. Other environmental pluses are that it serves as a larval host for butterflies, birds eat its seeds, and it helps control erosion on banks.
Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata), Elaine Mills
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) is a standout in sunny areas in spring with bright masses of flowers in shades of pink, purple and white. An American native that has long been available in the nursery trade, this hardy performer stands up to drought, erosion, air pollution and salt. It attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Golden Alexander (Zizia area), Elaine Mills
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) shares the dark green color of Liriope, and can take either sun or shade. It’s a member of the parsley family and serves as a host of Black Swallowtail butterflies. It has lacy yellow flowers in spring, and is an important support to native bees. It happily spreads by seeds if you need to fill an area from which you have removed Liriope spicata.
NOTE: A version of this article also appears in the Glencarlyn Village View and on the mgnv.org website.