October 5, 2009
Mondo Propagation Experiment
Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon sp.) is a mounding perennial with a form that visually mimics grasses. Larger species and cultivars of Mondo look similar to Monkey Grass (Liriope sp.), a landscaping staple in the southeastern United States.
The Mondo Grass in this photo is a dwarf cultivar of Ophiopogon japonicus that I am thinking about using as a low-growing ground cover in a shady part of the yard. In my endeavor to actually cover more than one square foot of ground, I am attempting to propagate these plants by division. It’s not that difficult really – in a purchased pot of Mondo Grass, each tuft is its own tiny plant – you merely have to dig them up and tease the roots apart. Mondos can reproduce vegetatively by sending out underground offshoots, and it’s a propagation method much preferred to saving and sowing the difficult-to-germinate seeds.
So here’s my question: Assuming there is room to spread out, do Mondos put out more offshoots when they are isolated or crowded? I’ve planted a few pots with crowded centers and a few that are more spread out to see which fills in the fastest. Any thoughts on this are welcome.
