Will Roundup Kill Monkey Grass?
Southerners colloquially use the name monkey grass for plants others know as lilyturf (Liriope spp.). Not a true grass but a grass-like member of the lily family, some gardeners prefer it as groundcover, while others view monkey grass as an undesirable, spreading weed. Does this Spark an idea?
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Function
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Roundup contains the active chemical ingredient glyphosate. It must be absorbed into plants through the foliage. Since monkey grass leaves are thick and coated with a waxy cuticle, absorption of Roundup isn't even and often is inconsistent.
Effects
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Vigorous, healthy monkey grass plants may display no effects from being sprayed with Roundup, or only slight leaf yellowing occurs. In the end, the plant survives, often rejuvenating from underground roots with new foliage.
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Considerations
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Weakened plants, such as monkey grass stressed from drought, may be killed back by a Roundup application. Repeated applications, as directed on the product label, work to continually weaken the plant and kill more foliage and underground roots in time.
Expert Insight
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To increase the amount of Roundup that is absorbed into monkey grass leaves, gardeners add a surfactant -- a chemical that helps bond the herbicide onto foliage for better absorption. Some herbicides, unlike Roundup, already contain a surfactant in the spray solution.
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