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Comparison of Warm-Season Grass Types

Feb 07, 2023

 

 

Bermudagrass

 

Centipede Grass

 

Zoysia Grass

Growing Region

Southern Lawns Coast to Coast

Southeast

Southern Lawns, transition Zone

Maintenance Needs

High

Very Low

Moderate

Heat Tolerance

High

High

High

Cold Tolerance

Moderate

Moderate-Low

Moderate- High

Drought Tolerance

High

Low

High

Shade Tolerance

Low

Moderate

Moderate- High

Height for Home Lawns (Inches)

1 – 1.5 Inches

1.5 – 2 Inches

1 – 1.5 Inches

 

Where to Find Them

If you live in the south, you have likely seen warm-season grass types on home lawns, soccer fields, dog parks, and many other areas. They are found in the south mainly because of their growing cycles (spring to early fall). In order for the grass roots to grow, they require warm soil so that the turf is able to flourish during these months.

The chart above shows that Bermudagrass is the most popular, as it can be found from coast to coast in the south. Centipede grass is primarily found in the southeast, as it has a low cold tolerance, and typically in this area of the country, it is warm all year round. Zoysia grass is most common in the transition zone, as it is more versatile. 

 

How to Care for Them

Each grass type has unique features, tolerability, and maintenance needs. Bermudagrass will need constant upkeep to ensure a long, healthy life. Unlike Bermudagrass, Centipede grass needs little to no maintenance at all. It can survive on its own and thrive independently without much care. That’s not to say that your centipede lawn won’t need any attention at all, just not as much as other grass types require. Lastly, Zoysia won’t require as much upkeep to survive as Bermudagrass does but will need more attention than Centipede grass.

 

What Makes Them Thrive

As you can see from the chart above, we organized the information on tolerability into cold, heat, shade, and drought tolerance. Each of these grass types above has distinct characteristics which make them unique. Some of the answers by category will be the same, like heat tolerance (each grass type listed in the chart has a high tolerance for withstanding heat). Although, when warm-season grasses are near cold temperatures – this can vary from low to high- moderate tolerance.

Centipede grass has a low drought tolerance, whereas the other two types of grass have high. Understanding your grass type's varying needs can help your lawn flourish. 

 

For more information, contact your local Weed Man team today!



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