invasive ground cover - Ask Extension
I have an invasive ground cover that first showed up in spring of 2022. I first noticed it when it covered about 6" of dirt. It grows rapidly an...
Knowledgebase
invasive ground cover #844608
Asked August 07, 2023, 5:25 PM EDT
I have an invasive ground cover that first showed up in spring of 2022. I first noticed it when it covered about 6" of dirt. It grows rapidly and now covers about 8 feet. It seems to disappear when the ground dries out but as soon as it rains or the ground gets wet, it rapidly reappears. I have tried spraying with curtail or roundup, but this does not even slow it down. I am attaching a picture. Do you have any idea what this might be and how to control it before it takes over my flower beds? Thanks for your help.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi and thanks for your picture and question about your liverwort plants. Yes, they are a natural plant that thrives in moist, overly fertilized conditions. I'll attach a fact sheet but basically you want to ease up on the water and don't over fertilize the area. You can scrape off the plants and cover the area with arborist chips to keep rain water from splashing the spores around. You can also try laying black plastic over the area to solarize the soil which works on many weeds, but there are no chemicals listed for home use and it will take continuous effort to control it in such a big area.
https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/weed/liverwort
Good luck,
https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/weed/liverwort
Good luck,
