Buffalo Grass Varieties

Legacy

• Developed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Legacy buffalo grass is a female clone; there are no male stolons, and therefore no pollen production and no seedheads. Although this makes Legacy a good choice for allergy sufferers, it also means that homeowners cannot grow a Legacy lawn from seed. Instead, retailers sell sod or, for a more cost-effective lawn, trays of plugs. Legacy, like most buffalo grasses, is highly adaptable to most soils and needs six to eight hours of sun a day. Legacy produces a dense, dark green turf and is very cold-hardy, growing well at elevations above 6,000 feet. It spreads rapidly and won the Green Thumb award in 2001.

Prestige

• Like Legacy, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln released Prestige in 1997 and, according to Carolee James of the University of California Extension, Prestige "was the top-rated buffalo grass in the latest national evaluation program." It is a lighter green than Legacy and is also a female clone. It stays green longer into the fall and greens up sooner in the spring than other buffalo grass varieties. As a warm-season grass, Prestige turns an attractive straw color in cooler weather. It is highly resistant to chinch bugs and grows well in hotter zones, preferring elevations from 1,200 to 6,000 feet.

Bowie

• Bowie is a seeded buffalo grass variety licensed for retail sales in 2001. The 1991 NTEP buffalo grass tests ranked it first in quality among seeded varieties. Bowie adapts well to most soils and the dense, dark green turf is highly drought-resistant. Pests and cold temperatures don't faze Bowie buffalo grass, and it greens up early in warm spring weather. Bowie tends to go dormant early in the fall in cooler zones. Bowie grows well at most elevations but has reduced performance in low deserts.

UC Verde

• Ideal for the hot weather of low deserts, UC Verde is a fine-bladed, light-green variety that often outperforms Bermuda grass or zoysia. The University of California patented UC Verde in 2003, and this clone takes heat and drought in stride. It stays green long into the fall, and the soft blades form a thick turf. UC Verde grows well at elevations below 1,200 feet.