In this picture of Liriope, a different sweep, the invasive Canada Thistle has joined the ‘dance’. Another North American native, this one too is incredibly invasive and possesses the ability to dominate on sites that are repeatedly ‘disturbed’ and can invade more manicured sites as well. It is a prodigious seed producer, casting them widely via birds and wind. Their deep root systems make them impossible to remove manually. Canada Thistle is also spread in soil upon which it’s grown as relatively small pieces of root/rhizome are capable of producing new plants. Seed heads of both Dandelions and weedy grasses can also be seen above the Liriope foliage as well as Plantain. While this is a cultivar propagated for use in the landscape, it is derived from an Asian species, Liriope muscari. It is well suited as an edging plant, though Landscape Architects are frequently using it in broad sweeps. It is also not well suited for sites like this in full sun with the addition of sun and heat from adjacent hard surfaces. Such stresses make it more vulnerable to opportunistic weeds…and that’s what we have here.