This standby in the landscape hard to kill

Tony Bertauski
The Post and Courier

Liriope can be used in shade or sun, does well in all types of soil, loves the heat, withstands salt spray and is very drought-tolerant.

We went to Hooters.

Let me back up. This past weekend we saw two great horned owls in our backyard. They were perched 29 feet up a dead tree, staring down at us. They were magnificent. I know it's a bit of a stretch, but isn't it odd we ended up at Hooters this weekend, too? I've never been to Hooters.

My students have been asking me to go for years. They've always said the food was good. I have to agree, it was good. And I've never seen a waitress shrink-wrapped in her uniform.

The landscape is often fraught with tight places, too. Ideally, we want to select a plant that fits. I present to you liriope. Liriope (luh-RYE-oh-pee) is the botanical name (genus), but it's commonly called spidergrass or lilyturf.

I know, I know. Liriope is everywhere, what's so special? First of all, liriope is hard to kill. Even if you try. I've left clumps in my truck for several days, then thrown them in the corner of the yard without planting them, and they rooted without a problem. It is an evergreen, grassylike plant that grows 12 inches tall (technically, it's not grass).

Liriope can be used almost anywhere, in shade or sun, all types of soil, loves the heat, withstands salt spray and is very drought tolerant. Its one weakness is wet soil.

There are two types of liriope: spreading (L. spicata) and clumping (L. muscari). Spreading liriope branches out with underground rhizomes and will take over a planting bed. It is an effective groundcover where it has room to grow. Don't plant it unless you want it everywhere.

Clumping liriope is most commonly used. Perhaps its popularity put it on the South Carolina invasive plants list as a potential threat, although it does not appear on any other states' invasive lists. It is used as border grass, planted along the edge of planting beds or sidewalks. It can also be used as a groundcover when planted on one-foot centers. The glossy, dark green foliage and grassy texture are nice additions to the landscape. Since it is not a true grass, an added bonus is the colorful flowers in July/August. Liriope puts out showy lavender, purple or white flowers (depending on cultivar) on short spikes. Once flowers fade, they produce black, berrylike fruit.

Liriope requires no maintenance. It is susceptible to anthracnose disease that will cause the leaf tips to die back. It will not kill the plant, so fungicide treatment is not generally recommended. Leaves can be cut back in late January before the new growth emerges. The clumps can be dug up and divided into smaller chunks to be planted elsewhere.

Even the most ordinary liriope is appealing. However, there are many cultivars with a variety of size, foliage and flower color.

Large liriope cultivars, such as 'Evergreen Giant,' get 2 feet tall. 'Emerald Goddess' is also a large liriope that claims better color and disease resistance. I love them both. 'Majestic' is a strong grower with dark foliage and flowers. 'Christmas Tree' produces unique flower spikes in the shape of Christmas trees.

Where liriope is used in shade, the variegated cultivars offer light-colored foliage that brighten dark spaces. However, variegated liriope lacks winter appeal. 'Gold Band' is one of the most appealing variegated liriopes because it has wide leaf blades with a gold edge.

Aztec grass is a commonly used selection and, although this looks like liriope, it is technically mondograss. 'Silver Dragon' is one of the most unique variegated ones. The foliage is practically white and really pops out of a shady spot. It is a spreading type of liriope, but the lack of chlorophyll makes it much less invasive.

Our Hooters waitress brought out our bills and leaned over in three different directions to drop them off. Afterward, my 10-year old daughter exclaimed she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

We will never, ever go to Hooters again. Ever.