The Best Grass for Sandy Soil in Texas

Centipede Grass

• Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is a low maintenance native grass of China and southeast Asia that thrives in the sandy, acidic soils of southeastern United States, including Texas. The coarse textured grass has low fertilizer requirements and spreads with creeping stolons. The grass has a yellow green color and a slow growth rate, producing a dense turf. In Texas the grass retains its color throughout the year, but is likely to be damaged by hard freezes. The grass has a moderate level of tolerance for shade and thrives in areas of sun.

St. Augustine Grass

• St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a perennial grass with a vigorous growth habit. The grass adapts well to a majority of soils and is among the primary grass varieties used in the sandy soils in the Gulf Coast of the United States, including Texas, as it is a native of sandy beach ridges and shorelines. The grass is tolerant of high temperatures but does not withstand cold temperatures and drought. St. Augustine grass is also referred to as carpetgrass or crabgrass. The coarse textured grass grows with stolons and is moderately tolerant of shade.

Zoysiagrass

• Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) is a coarse textured, warm season grass native of Southeast Asia, including Japan and China. The sod forming grass adapts well to a range of soil types, including the sandy, acidic soils in Texas. The grass is a popular turfgrass choice along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Connecticut and the Gulf Coast, all the way to Texas. Zoysiagrass has a moderate level of tolerance for shade when grown in the warmer regions and is also referred to as Japanese lawn grass or Korean lawn grass. The grass is ideal for sandy soil as it has a poor tolerance for heavy soils with inadequate drainage.