Our Grasses

Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroidea)Centipede grass is a warm-season perennial that spreads by stolons. Centipede grass is best adapted to sandy, acidic soils. Centipede grass is a coarse-textured, low-maintenance turfgrass ideally suited for lawns. It requires less mowing than Bermuda or St. Augustine grasses, and is often called 'lazy man's grass.' It produces rather short, upright stolons resembling a centipede—hence the name, centipede grass. Centipede grass forms a dense, coarse-textured turf. It turns brown after a hard frost, but recovers whenever temperatures are above 70°F for several days. Centipede grass is moderately shade-tolerant and slightly more cold-tolerant than St. Augustine.

St. Augustine(Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a popular choice for lawns throughout the ARKLATEX region. Outstanding shade tolerance makes this grass the overwhelming favorite for lawns under the stately live oaks of the Gulf Coast, as well as the tall pines midstate. St. Augustine grass is the most cold-sensitive of all the turfgrasses grown in Louisiana. St. Augustinegrass is propagated by sprigging, plugging, or sodding. St. Augustinegrass is a turf that is quick to establish and recover from injury due to aggressive stolon growth. The grass has only fair wear tolerance and will not tolerate long periods of water stress.

Tifway 419 Bermudagrass Bermudagrass forms a dense, attractive sod. . It is not unusual for a stolon to grow 6 feet in 1 year when spreading over bare ground. This aggressiveness makes bermudagrass the preeminent turf for areas of high traffic, since it can spread quickly to cover damaged areas. Bermudagrasses also have good wear tolerance. The major limiting factor to bermudagrass growth is the amount of sunlight it requires. It does not tolerate full shade and only tolerates partial shade for half a day. It is best to have full sun for the highest quality lawn.

Zoysia grasses (Zoysia species) are gaining popularity as a choice for lawns in the central and northern portions of the state. The Zoysia grasses have superior cold tolerance to the above-named grasses and are not as likely to sustain winter damage. The Zoysia grasses form dense, thick sods of high quality. They have more shade tolerance than Bermuda grass and form a finer, more attractive lawn than St. Augustine grass or centipede grass.

Palisades Zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica) is a vegetatively produced, medium-broad-textured, high-density turf suitable for home lawns, golf fairways and roughs, sports fields, industrial parks, and highway medians. Palisades is a medium- to coarse-textured turf noted for its shade tolerance and low water use requirements. It tolerates mowing as close as 1/2' with good weed competitions, ideally as high as 2' to 2-1/2' for home lawns. Palisades close mowing also makes it ideal for use on golf course fairways, especially where water availability is of concern.

Emerald Zoysia grass for semi-shaded, high-traffic, low-maintenance areas. Emerald Zoysia grass is a fine-leafed, dense-growing, and dark green turfgrass that is a hybrid between Zoysia japonica and Zoysia tenuifolia. Emerald combines the fine texture of Zoysia tenuifolia with the cold tolerance and faster rate of spread of Zoysia japonica. Emerald is similar to Zoysia matrella in appearance and habit. If a rotary mower is used, the blade must be sharp, and mowing should be weekly. The root system is very drought-tolerant as the stolons grow underground, which also makes it more cold-tolerant. Once established with dense turf, it is highly weed-resistant and wear-resistant to foot traffic. Emerald Zoysia provides more weeks of green color in the fall after frosts than Bermuda grass and can grow in moderate shade. Zoysia can be an acceptable turf with low fertilization.

Water Needs: Low to medium: apply at least 1 inch of water as a deep soak every, 4 to 7 days to encourage a deep, healthy root system during dry or hot periods. Avoid frequent, shallow watering that results in shallow roots, permitting weed germination and growth.

Mowing & Thatching: Optimum mowing height is 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches for a high-quality lawn; slow growth rate reduces mowing frequency. Mow regularly with a sharp rotary or reel mower, allowing clippings from frequent mowing to remain on the lawn. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shoot growth at one mowing. Periodic vertical cutting may be needed to control thatch accumulation if a high nitrogen level is applied.

Disease, Weed, & Insect Control: Some varieties have good resistance to diseases such as rust and leaf spot and to bill bugs. The dense turf produced by zoysia grass prevents most weeds from appearing.

All information is based on average/normal conditions; individual sites and situations may differ. Therefore, contact your local nurseryman or county extension office if more detailed information is needed on specific maintenance questions.