Mondo grass (Ophiopogon) has a much thinner blade, and it is flat. Monkey grass (Liriope) has a fatter blade, it has some thickness to it, almost succulent compared to mondo grass. Go to Home Depot and compare them side by side. Also, I think that Monkey grass is the one that spreads faster and more aggressively.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:810957}}

thanks, esh:)

actually i googled until i got good info. then i went in the back yard and picked some (first clue: deep shade), and took them to the front yard and compared them to the ones I KNOW are monkey grass. turns out I have mondo in the back.

mondo is also softer and floppier. the thing that had me confused was the mondo's new spring growth, which is standing up vertical and bright green at the moment as opposed to its usual Cousin It kind of look.

learn something every day!

Also, liriope/monkey grass has visible berries during the winter, and Modo's berry stalks are shorter than the leaves.

Lirope tends to spread as a clump that gets larger and larger. Mondo grass send out a lot more shoots that will spread like a ground cover. Lirope will stay in a row like edging. They are both referred to as monkey grass frequently so use the proper names to get the best info. Lirope will send out some shoots, too, but not nearly as much as Mondo grass. I think both will grow in sun and shade. Lirope has flowers and berries that look quite nice if it gets sun. I am not sure about Mondo but I think it does, too.

I personally would never plant monkey grass again...I consider it my biggest weed up there with ivy, poke, and wild violets...feel free to come dig up some of my ever sprouting new monkeys!!!!