Is it Monkey or Mondo Grass?
 (Read 500+ times)
By Harold Sink
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You would think both Monkey and Mondo grass are one in the same, but I had no idea until a few months ago that there really is a difference.
Many gardeners and landscapers will tell you that Monkey and Mondo grass are the same, and that it is all in what you want to call it.
The staff at Puckett's Nursery and Landscaping as well as those at Callaway's Nursery in Allen, Frisco, and Plano, Texas will tell you that Mondo grass has to be dug up well to get rid of it, and that they are very different from each other in the blades of the grass and the roots.
Both Mondo and Monkey grass look similar. They both grow the stems with berries on them, and both grow well in full sun to complete shade. Mondo grass will have a very waxy feel to its leaves, which are much stiffer than that of Monkey grass.
The color of the berries can differ from one species to the next, so don't let that fool you into believing that a certain color only grows on Mondo or Monkey grass.
The roots in Mondo grass have extremely tough taproots, which do grow vertically and then horizontally like August fern, boxwood and some ivys. Their buds or bulbs, as some call them, are larger than that of Monkey grass. This grass can quicly take over your garden or yard if you don't keep a watchful eye on it weekly. This also depends on how often you water, too.
Obviously, Monkey grass is easier to manage than Mondo grass. It also doesn't grow near as tall and Mondo does.
Mondo grass can grow back from those buds in the dirt no matter how tiny they are. Mondo grass is also a good border for areas where there is little rain.
Monkey grass is capable of dying out easier if the soil mixture isn't just right and if it isn't watered often. Once it does get extablished and grouping well, it can almost survive the hot summers in Oklahoma and Texas.
Apparently, Mondo grass cannot be killed off by your standard over the counter weed or grass killer all that easily, and you definitely don't want to use grass killer if it borders your yard.
This means you would either have to dig up the Mondo grass being careful to get all the buds, and most of the weeds. Monkey grass, on the other hand, only needs to be turned over to expose the roots to the air for 24 hours or more if you are trying to rid your yard or garden of it.
Before you start planting either one of these, you should really think about how much work you want to invest into your yard. Good planning will reward itself in the long run.
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Author Bio Box: Harold Sink
 Callaway's Nursery - Plano and Frisco, TX
Puckett's Nursery and Landscaping - Allen, TX
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