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Is this thug a Dierama?

Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
in Problem solving
I planted a Dierama (Angel's Fishing Rod, Blackbird) a few years ago (as you can see in the picture) but, this summer, I've had lots of "grass" pop up which I initially left as they appear to be from roots coming out from the main plant. I tried searching around and could see no evidence that they propagated this way and am now a little worried as I have a real problem. The roots are REALLY tough and hard to fork/pull out and def all seem to go back to the mothership. Meanwhile every other one seems to have a huge, heavy, potatoe like bulb underneath - and they have spread into the lawn (as you can see along the bottom of the pic). 

Are they from the Dierama, do you think? Any suggestions, please? Thanks, Tracey

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  • MuddyForkMuddyFork Posts: 435
    Dierama self seed very easily.  The plants do develop bulbs which are very deeply rooted so it could well be one.
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Aw, pumpkins! Was hoping someone would say no :)  But thanks for responding.

    It's swamped a huge Geranium and Lavender and now has its sights on finishing the lawn off. Based on this...I'd never recommend anyone planting one as the roots are like rope. Might have to take the whole lot out. :'(
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    edited July 2018
    Hold on Tracey, you have more then one thing there.  The tall flower is indeed a dierama and the tall grass looking things near it may well be dierama seedlings.  However, the 2nd photo is definitely of a cyclamen corm, which are dormant right now.  The stuff in the lawn looks like field woodrush which is also spreading into the border.  You can just pull up the dierama seedlings if you don't want them.  Treating the field woodrush will be trickier - see here:
    Replant any corms you dig up wherever you want to see cyclamen appear. :)

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,548

    That looks like a happy dierama. I also have Blackbird but the flowers are a dark burgundy red/purple. The leaves are around 4ft long and the flower stems 6ft. It has grown into a very large clump of bulbs which are moving a paving slab on the edge of the pond. I am not sure of the name of yours as the flower colour makes me think it is dierama pulchellum if it as pink as the pic. suggests?

    They will seed into gravelly soil and spread happily if not weeded out.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    Yes Joyce, I forgot to mention what a healthy looking dierama it is!  I love them and they don't even come close to being a thug.  That's not the case with field woodrush though!
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Hmm - thank you both (I think) the stuff in the lawn looks the same as the "tall seedlings" close to the diorama - it's just like they just haven't finished growing yet (look from the bottom of the pic, on the left, and you can see the leave get taller as you move towards the wall. Def started NEAR the Dierama and then spread outwards). 

    All of them are coming from long, fibrous roots - which then sprout some leaves at various points...I did originally think it was more of a grass than part of the Dierama. It may end up all having to go as this stuff is soooooooooo hard to dig out. I've already had a couple of Foxglove casualties.

    I did spend hours a couple of weeks ago searching to see what a Dierama seedling looked like and couldn't find anything helpful.

    And your advice means that I have just chucked a couple of Cyclamen in the brown bin...where they are staying (unfortunately) as there's a huge cloud of fruit flies I don't fancy tackling. :o 

    Thanks again. T
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Not sure it is Field Woodrush as it's not hairy. http://www.downgardenservices.org.uk/fldwodrsh.htm
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    edited July 2018
    You could well be right, it was difficult to see in your photo.  Whatever it is, it isn't the dierama spreading via creeping roots - they simply don't do that and are bulbous clump-forming in habit.  Can you post a close-up of the one with the tough roots in-situ and then one dug-up with as much root as you can keep on it?
    I've grown dierama from seed and it takes them a few years of tlc to get to flowering size with about half of the seedlings not making it.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Tracey KTracey K Posts: 46
    Running from the left, along the wall, you can see a bundle of 3-4 roots that are heading from the Diarama (which is why I initially thought they were linked) and which are still attached to something on the left. 

    On the wall - 3 pieces that I've just dug out. Notice the roots have spurs off...I think this is where a root will eventually lead to another plantlet. Because you don't know which is the end one in the chain you end up pulling at a root that is anchored at either end and then snaps. Horrible stuff. Thanks for looking. T

  • MuddyForkMuddyFork Posts: 435
    The roots you have there are grass roots not Dierama. 
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