Grass Types: Zoysia

It’s time to further your education on the types of grass the we commonly use for our lawns and landscapes.  This is the first part in a series on grass types.  It’s important to know which type of grass survives and thrives best in your climate.  Scott’s Identification Tool can help you determine your ideal grass by zip code.

Part 1:  Bermuda Grass

Part 2:  St. Augustine Grass

Part 3:  Zoysia

Part 4:  Bluegrass/Fescue

Part 5:  Dichondra

Zoysia is a type of creeping grass that is native to East Asia and Australia.  Commonly called zoysia or zoysiagrass, it’s often found in coastal areas and grasslands.  This is a very common grass for home lawns in many parts of the world.  It is a tough, surviving grass, and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, rainfall amounts, days between rain, and sunlight.

Zoysia is very commonly used on golf courses especially in the fairways and teeing areas, because they are so good at keeping back weeds from a protected area.  They really resist disease, and hold well even in a well-trafficed areaZoysia requires significantly less fertilizer than St. Augustine grass (covered earlier)

hey are popular because of their fine texture, soft feel, and low growth habit. They can form dense mats and even mounds that grow over low features. In contrast to St. Augustine grass, they generally require less fertilization and are less vulnerable to insect and fungus damage, depending on environmental conditions. For best appearance, turf experts recommend reel blade mowers for zoysia.

They get their name from the Australian botanist, Karl van Sois.  He was a botanist and flower collector in the mid-1700’s.  There is a bellflower Campanula zoysii that is also named after him.