Grasses for Sand

Lawn Grass

• Bahia grass is a medium-colored, coarse grass that stands up well to wear and can serve as a pasture grass. The grass is well-suited to use in the southernmost states from Florida to Texas, East Coast states from Georgia to North Carolina and portions of southern California. Bahia grass is tolerant of dry conditions and sandy soils, but prefers an acidic site. The grass does not tolerate shady conditions or cold weather, and is particularly intolerant of salt. It is low-maintenance, meaning it does not require fertilizer applications more than twice a year and rarely requires watering. Bahia grass requires more mowing than other lawn grasses, but doesn't thatch. The grass is very tolerant of nematodes and is rarely susceptible to disease.

Ornamental Grass

• Many ornamental grasses are naturally good in sandy soils. Blue fescue is a cool-season grass that becomes evergreen starting in USDA Hardiness Zone 5. The grass grows 6 to 18 inches tall. Other sandy soil-loving ornamental grasses include cool-season Indian rice grass, which grows 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall; warm-season big bluestem, which reaches 3 to 6 feet high and offers fall color; and side oats grama, a warm-season prairie grass. Big bluestem performs well in the eastern Midwest, where it takes advantage of the humid climate and consistent 25 inches or more of annual rainfall. Big bluestem grows on sites with low fertility and shallow soils. It can be gathered for hay, serve as pasture grass and provide wildlife cover. Ornamental grasses are generally not tolerant of shady sites.

Grass for Soil Stabilization

• Sand bluestem is a warm-season grass that produces 3- to 8-foot-tall seed stalks. The grass is common to the Great Plains region and central U.S. states such as Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona. Sand bluestem is suitable for use as a livestock feed, pasture grass or wildlife cover. Use native grass species when possible, as native plants are better adapted to local growing conditions.

For Wet, Sandy Soils

• Carpetgrass is a warm-season grass that adapts well to poor soils or soils that lack fertility, moderately acidic soils and sandy locations. The grass is well-suited to the southern states stretching from South Carolina to Texas. Due to its shallow roots, carpetgrass is not tolerant of drought. It also shows poor salt and shade tolerance. Carpetgrass withstands traffic and heavy rain conditions, crowds out weeds, controls erosion and establishes quickly. Carpetgrass is susceptible to disease and can be susceptible to pest damage in some areas. While generally a low-maintenance grass, it needs weekly mowing due to development of seed heads.