What Is the Difference Between El Toro Zoysia & Zenith Zoysia?

Planting Method

• Most zoysiagrass cultivars, including El Toro, are started with plugs, 2- to 4-inch, square or circular pieces of sod that are planted on 6- to 14-inch centers. The clumps spread out and eventually grow together to create a dense, solid lawn. Depending on location and weather, zoysiagrass lawns started from plugs can take a year or more to fill in completely. Most seed-started zoysiagrass lawns are inferior in quality and vigor to those started vegetatively, but Zenith seed produces a high-quality lawn. The seed is available through Patten Seed of Lakeland, Georgia.

Growth Rate

• El Toro is the fastest-establishing zoysiagrass, producing a dense lawn two to three times quicker than other cultivars. However, because Zenith zoysiagrass is grown from seed, even newly-planted Zenith lawns, though thin and sparse, have a more uniform appearance than new El Toro lawns, where you'll see soil patches between the expanding plugs until they grow together.

Appearance and Feel

• El Toro zoysiagrass is dark green, while Zenith is medium-to-dark. Both grasses are moderately dense and create little thatch buildup. Zenith and El Toro are both considered coarse-textured grasses, but El Toro has softer leaves while Zenith has a finer texture.

Shade Tolerance

• All zoysiagrass grows best in full sun, but El Toro is more shade-tolerant than most zoysia cultivars. This adaptability makes it a good choice for home landscapes, which typically include both sunny and shaded areas. Data on the shade tolerance of Zenith is not available.

Hardiness

• According to turfgrass specialists at the University of Arkansas, Zenith zoysiagrass is more cold-hardy than El Toro and so is less likely to suffer cold injury during harsh winters. Both cultivars have excellent heat hardiness.