Types of Texas Grasses

Drought Tolerant

• Drought resistant grasses are a good choice for areas that receive little to no rainfall or that experience periods of drought. Much of Texas experiences exceptional to extreme drought, particularly the extreme south and northwest areas of the state. Drought resistant varieties include Bermuda grass, Buffalo, zoysia and St. Augustine. All three varieties prefer full sunlight and well-drained soils and can tolerate a generous amount of foot traffic. Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a blue-green to grey colored, perennial grass that is tolerant to drought. It thrives best in loamy to clay soils and is hardy to USDA zones 3 through 9. Bermuda grass (Cynodon spp.) is a perennial turf grass used on golf courses and athletic fields. It is hardy to USDA zones 7 through 10 and grows and spreads quickly. It can also grow on sandy coastal soils near the Gulf of Mexico.

Cool Season

• Cool season grasses work well in the northern parts of Texas where winter temperatures can drop below freezing. They are often used as forage crops for livestock in the winter when other grasses can not survive. Good choices include buffalo grass, Kentucky bluegrass, bent grass and ryegrass. Most cool season grasses prefer full sunlight and moist, well-drained soils. Kentucky bluegrass, (Poa pratensis L) is a perennial grass that is hardy to USDA zones 3 through 8. Kentucky bluegrass is a high maintenance grass commonly used for production of sod. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is used in pastures during the winter as a forage crop. It is a tall grass that provides excellent ground cover during cool temperatures and is commonly used in combination with warm season grass, seeded together to offer year round green color in lawns.

Warm Season

• Warm season grasses are usually drought resistant as well though some require moisture. Carpet grass (Axonopus affinis) is a warm season grass that prefers wet soils along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a perennial grass that can grow well in both full sun and shade. Zoysia grass (Zoysia Spp) is a slow-growing, warm season grass that thrives in both heat and a small degree of drought. It performs best with weekly watering. Other warm season grasses include Centipede grass, Blue Grama, Bahia and Bermuda grass.

Shade Tolerant

• Shade tolerant grasses do not require full sun in order to thrive. They can grow in shady lawns with a lot of trees. Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is also a warm season grass though it can survive cool temperatures and drought. It is a hardy grass that requires little maintenance. St Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is also tolerant of shade. It is a sod grass so you must have the grass installed instead of planting. It is an excellent grass for establishing a lawn in new home landscaping. Other shade tolerant grasses are carpet grass and zoysia.