09/07/2026
Instead of this.....Consider this....
Variegated lilyturf (Liriope muscari 'Variegata') has been a landscape staple for decades.
I started growing (and dividing) this plant 30 years ago because it was sun and shade tolerant, extremely tough, and provided grass-like foliage (actually in the Asparagaceae family). There wasn't another good alternative at that time.
So why reconsider it?
Not because every non-native plant is "bad". It isn't.
But when adding a new plant-or when an existing plant needs replacing, we have an opportunity to ask another question:
Can a plant function similarly from a design perspective, but contribute MORE to the ecosystem?
For shade to part shade, native sedges such as Carex woodii, C. pensylvanica, C. albicans (and others) provide grass-like texture while contributing more.
For sunnier locations, native grasses like Little Bluestem (across N. America), or Deschampsia cespitosa (mid-west to west) can fulfill this ecological role.
I have been slowly removing non-native, non-invasive plants when there are similar or better native alternatives available.
Just something to think about.....
