Ideal Grass for Lawns

Kentucky Bluegrass

• Kentucky bluegrass is a cool weather grass that produces a high quality lawn. It was introduced to the U.S. by colonists who brought the grass seed back from Europe. The grass grows dormant in hot summer months when there is little water and during the coldest part of winter. This grass performs best when well irrigated. It does not grow well in extremely hot climates. Because of the short roots, it goes dormant during drought conditions. Frequent watering will often bring it back to life. Kentucky bluegrass should be fertilized frequently and mowed when the height reaches between 1 and 2 inches.

Zoysia Grass

• Growing rapidly and toleratng heat and drought conditions, zoysia grass is a warm season grass that turns brown with the first frost of fall. Zoysia grass grows well in southern lawns but is not recommended for northern climates. Zoysia grass will choke out weeds and other thin-growing grasses in the lawn.

Bermuda Grass

• Bermuda grass is commonly found throughout the Southwest and southern U.S. It has fine leaves of dark green color and makes an ideal turf grass. This variety is drought tolerant but grows best when well irrigated. Golf courses and athletic fields also commonly use Bermuda grass. The grass is very durable in high traffic areas and is useful in preventing soil erosion.

St. Augustine Grass

• Widely used as a lawn grass in the Gulf Coast states, St. Augustine grass is a native grass to sandy beaches and inland marshes. St. Augustine grass can be grown in a wide variety of soil types but does not grow well in extremely wet or dry climates and is not as drought or cold tolerant as Bermuda grass. St. Augustine grass can survive shady conditions better than other grass varieties. It does not tolerate high traffic well but has few insect problems.

Centipede Grass

• Centipede grass is a slow-growing, aggressive grass that produces an attractive lawn. It was introduced to the U.S. in 1916 from South China. It is resistant to weeds but does not tolerate shade as well as St. Augustine or zoysia grass. This grass variety can grow in low fertility conditions and needs little maintenance. It is well adapted to growth in the Southeastern U.S. The grass does not tolerate cold well and grows best in mild climates.