Native Plants

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Sunday - October 12, 2008

From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Texas frogfruit vs. non-native St. Augustine grass
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Can Texas frogfruit resist invasion by St. Augustine grass, or will I need to create a barrier?

ANSWER:

St. Augustine grass is almost a textbook example of what invasive non-native plants can do. At least, it's not quite as bad as Bermudagrass, which spreads both by stolons and underground rhizomes. However, Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit) is often found growing as a "weed" in St. Augustine, and is pretty tough and self-sufficient. We don't know that a barrier is necessary, but we would certainly keep the St. Augustine pulled out when it approaches the Frogfruit. Once they intermingle, you will find it more difficult to pull out the St. Augustine without damaging the Frogfruit. If you don't mind their co-existing, be assured that they can, and don't worry about it.