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What Grass Grows in Central Florida?

Central Florida is generally referred to as the region from Ocala to Sebring, with Interstate 4 a primary corridor. It includes the Tampa and Orlando metropolitan areas. Winters are cool and occasionally frosty and summers hot, humid and ridden with thunderstorms.
  1. Types

    • The most common lawn grass encountered across Central Florida is St. Augustine grass, especially where irrigation is present. In drier landscapes, bahia grass works well. On athletic fields, the typical grass grown is Bermuda grass. Both carpetgrass and zoysia grass may also be grown in certain landscape applications.

    Considerations

    • Horticulturists developed numerous cultivars of turf grass of each of the different grass species. Thus, gardeners may choose from any number of cultivars with characteristics most advantageous for their properties. Grass cultivars demonstrate variable features like leaf color, mature height or tolerances to cold, drought or shade.

    Misconceptions

    • Turf grasses aren't the only grasses grown in Central Florida landscapes. Upright, clumping ornamental grasses also warrant considerations. Muhly grass, Florida gamma grass, lopsided Indian grass, purple lovegrass and sand cordgrass are a few species well suited to the region.