Which Is the Best Type of Zoysia to Grow?

Slow Growth

• Zoysia is a slow-growing grass but once established, it can tolerate periods of drought, foot traffic and a variety of soils, from clay to sand. You can find zoysia grass on golf courses and in parks, as well as lawns as far south as Florida and as far north as Connecticut. The benefit of slow-growing grass is that it requires less frequent mowing. Some drawbacks include its inability to quickly recover from damage and its lagging establishment time. Zoysia japonica grasses are the only zoysia grasses that are grown from seed, but their establishment rate is very slow.

Fast Growth

• For a rapidly established lawn, choose sprigs and plugs rather than seed. Zoysia grass grows via spreading root systems called rhizomes. This growth pattern results in deep root systems that are responsible for the grass' high drought tolerance. The spreading root systems also help build a rapid growing ground cover. Fast growing zoysia grass cultivars include "Meyer" zoysia grass. Meyer doesn't establish quickly from seed, making it best for lawn owners to start with plugs or sod. Meyer grass plugs and sod grow rapidly, earning Meyer the moniker "super grass." "Empire," "Zenith" and "Belaire" are some other rapidly growing cultivars.

Climate

• Cold hardy zoysia grasses are coarser than their warm-loving relatives. The cold hardiest species, Z. japonica, sometimes called Japanese zoysia or Korean zoysia, arrived in the United States by way of the Philippines in the late 1800s. Since that time, many cultivars that take advantage of its cold hardy traits have been developed. Cultivars like Meyer, "Belaire" and "El Toro" are grown in cool climates. Smooth-textured grasses belong to the Z. tenuifolia and Z. matrella species. These grasses are not cold hardy and cannot be started from seed. Many hybrid cultivars have been developed that combine the smooth texture of these grasses with Z. japonica's cold hardiness. These hybrids include the aesthetically appealing "Emerald" as well as Zenith, and grow in warmer climates.

Considerations

• Like Bermuda grass, zoysia grass is salt tolerant and can grow along shorelines. In cool climates zoysia grass will not tolerate shade and may not be visually appealing during winter months. Though the grass is one of the first to "green up" in spring, it is a perennial grass that goes dormant in winter, taking on a brown color.