Grass Types
A Look At Several Popular Lawn Grass Types
Lawn grass types in the United States can be categorized as warm season grasses and cool season grasses. The former do best in the southern tier of states, from southern California, to the Gulf States, and over to the southeastern United States. The cool season grasses, as expected, do well in most areas of the United States and southern Canada. The warm season grasses tend to be drought tolerant, while the cool season grasses generally are not. Cool season grass types are often mixed together when sold as lawn seed.
The most popular of the warm season grass types is Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass is a sun loving lawn and pasture grass. It is drought tolerant, and can tolerate cold conditions as well. It is a superior grass type for golf courses and sports fields. Though primarily a tropical and sub-tropical grass, several varieties can be planted further north. Buffalo grass is a popular choice as a low maintenance grass, requiring only two or three mowing's a year, and is quite drought tolerant. If planted too far north, where the growing season is shorter, Buffalo grass may only green up for a few months. It can be slow to turn green in the spring, and turns brown fairly rapidly as cool weather approaches. It can be a little difficult to get established at first, but once established, is an excellent ground cover.
St. Augustine grass, and Zoysia grass, are generally planted from sod or plugs. St. Augustine grass seeds are difficult to produce, and are generally not available. Planted as plugs or sod, this grass makes an exceptionally beautiful lawn. Zoysia grass is also very attractive and extremely drought tolerant. It has been occasionally marketed as an all purpose grass that will grow anywhere, but it generally does not do well in the northern states.
The cool season grass types include Kentucky Bluegrass, the Fescues, and Perennial Ryegrass. Many lawn seed mixtures will contain all three types. Kentucky Bluegrass is very attractive and best in low traffic areas. In medium to high traffic areas it's best to include Perennial Ryegrass, as Bluegrass can be slow to recover. Ryegrass is also often combined with Bluegrass for a new lawn, as the latter can take some time to become established. Once established though, Bluegrass is a fast grower. Fescue grass types are added to the mix for an attractive lawn in shady areas.
The fescues are characterized by having greater shade tolerance than other warm season grass types, staying green throughout the year. They are also drought resistant. Besides being used as a companion to Kentucky Bluegrass in the cool season areas, the fescues are often added to some warm season grasses, such as Bermuda grass in transition zones, where warm season grass types do not perform well during the cooler months.
When you buy grass seed locally, you'll likely get a type, or mix of grass types, suitable for your area. If you order seeds online, or by mail order, it would pay to check with the seller to make certain that you are ordering a grass type appropriate for your area, one that will give you a beautiful and durable lawn.