Your lawn should be your basic pride and joy in your garden. It’s the first thing your neighbors and friends see when they visit. You can have all the beautiful flowers and other plants you like, but unless they are set against a good-looking lawn – what’s the point?
Most lawns can grow with nothing more than good soil, sunlight, and a little rain. That is, if you use grass seed, that is appropriate for your field.
Growing and sustaining a safe green lawn does not have to be a time-consuming and difficult task. Lawns are relatively low maintenance – only requiring regular mowing and the application of fertilizer on occasion.
Most Popular Types of Lawn Grass
Over a dozen varieties of popular types of lawn grasses are ideal for lawns. Depending on the local temperatures, some of the grasses are for warm-seasons and some for cool-seasons. Some lawns combine two or three of these grasses. However, the lawn grasses grow at their best in various parts of the country according to temperatures.
The most popular Types of Grass includes:
1. Bermudagrass
2. Bahia Grass
3. Centipede
4. St. Augustine Grass
5. Zoysia (Most Durable)
6. Dichondra
7. Kentucky Bluegrass
8. Perennial Ryegrass
9. Fescue
10. Carpet Grass
11. Buffalo Grass
12. Seashore Paspalum
13. Artificial Grass
Certain grasses (warm season) are found in the United States’ southern, southeast, and Gulf Coast areas. On the other hand, cool-season grasses thrive in areas with cold winters and large temperature swings, such as the north, northeast, upper Midwest, and Pacific Northwest.
1. Bermudagrass
Bermuda grass is among the most common yard grass choices for many people, so you have probably heard of it. This is a warm-season grass that is distinguished by its dark green hue.
When it is flourishing and safe in your yard, it is such a sight to behold. This grass would appeal to people who want to have a good-looking lawn that can withstand extreme heat.
Extremely hot areas would not be a major concern for Bermuda grass as it can survive in temperatures of up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is one of the toughest lawns you can choose if you want to start a lawn in a hot climate.
If you know that your area’s temperatures regularly reach the highs listed above, then you will realize that Bermuda grass is a good choice for your lawn.
This will ensure that your yard grass can withstand the heat and that you can enjoy having a beautiful lawn.
2. Bahia Grass
Another type of lawn grass that thrives in the southern United States is Bahia. It has become a staple in many people’s yards. This is due to its ability to withstand the heat of these environments.
It is a rugged grass with a rougher texture than any other varieties of grass you will come across.
This grass’s overall hardiness makes it suitable for foot traffic as it can withstand being trampled and bounce back quickly.
This grass can grow well in either complete or partial sunlight. Simply ensure that your lawn is not fully shaded for it to grow properly.
In a warm environment, the lawn can thrive as long as it receives partial sunlight. This grass can also grow in a variety of soil types, making it a very flexible choice for those who live in warmer climates.
3. Centipede
To get the best results, you can use centipede grass in very hot climates. It is a warm-season grass which, given enough time to mature, can become very thick.
The color of this grass is usually dark green, but depending on the circumstances, it may be closer to medium green.
Overall, it looks great, and most people will not have to put in a herculean effort to maintain this grass properly.
People who lead busy lives would appreciate low-maintenance lawns. So long as you are using centipede grass in the right climate, it will be low maintenance.
This is the grass that thrives in hot, humid climates. If your region receives a lot of rain and is often wet, it will thrive.
Centipede grass suffers greatly during droughts. If you are experiencing a drought, your centipede grass would be susceptible to a variety of issues.
f you do not water it properly during the drought, it will go dormant. Fortunately, it recovers easily and can switch between dead to green in just a few weeks.
If you want to use this form of grass for sporting events or high foot traffic, you should reconsider.
When injured, this grass does not recover well. It has a sluggish growth rate, making it a bad option for grass if you want to play sports or do other things on it.
Until you decide to plant this form of grass seed, think about what you want to do with your yard.
4. St. Augustine Grass
People have found that St. Augustine is one of the most common and long-lasting types of yard grass to plant in their yards. If you want to start a new lawn, one of the best options is St. Augustine grass.
When it has matured, this grass is very attractive, and it is relatively easy to maintain. This is one of the reasons why it is so common among lawn enthusiasts.
This grass is classified as warm-season grass. But depending on the climate in your region, it can look lovely well into the fall.
This grass also thrives in colder climates where it can grow in temperatures that are suitable for its survival.
It thrives in the sandy soil found in these types of environments. If you live in the southern United States, you will have a fair chance of growing this grass successfully in your yard.
5. Zoysia (Most Durable)
Another warm-season grass that will cater to people who live in hotter climates is Zoysia.
This is an excellent lawn grass for those who do not want to spend a lot of time maintaining it.
Since Zoysia is a slow-growing grass, you can mow it less frequently. This can be a very tempting scenario for people who do not like getting up early to mow their lawns.
Even if it does not grow quite fast, the lawn will grow very vigorously. If it has the required access to water and sunlight, it can become very thick.
This lawn will grow more quickly in full sunlight. But it will also thrive in partial sunlight. Simply ensure that it receives enough sunlight to remain safe.
6. Dichondra
Dichondra is not grass, but it is a warm-season plant that is commonly used in place of grass in some western and southwestern states.
Morning glories are related to Dichondra, which is a small flowering plant. It has creeping stems with round, bright green leaves that are closely spaced.
Dichondra needs to be fertilized regularly, but it can be mowed like grass to keep a tidy appearance.
7. Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky bluegrass is among the most beautiful varieties of grass you can have on your lawn. When appearance is the most important factor, this is one of the yard grass styles that people prefer.
This grass’s lush dark green color is very appealing. And it will help to bring out the true potential of your land. This grass is classified as a cool-season grass, but it thrives in areas with a mild climate.
Extremely hot weather would be difficult for this form of grass. It would have a difficult time living in excessively hot temperatures.
It can withstand extremely cold winters with ease. But the sun is just too much for this grass to bear. If you live in an environment where the weather is colder, this grass can thrive.
8. Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is a pretty awesome grass that can withstand cooler weather than the grass types described previously.
This grass can thrive in a wide range of climates. It has a high temperature tolerance in the cold.
But it can also handle hot summers without too much difficulty. It is important to keep your perennial ryegrass as moist as possible if you want it to grow well.
This grass can thrive in areas with milder winters than the rest of the country. It will be able to withstand and remain pleasant in cool temperatures but not below freezing. It can survive in a variety of conditions.
But if you want to use it in an ideal setting, a location with mild winters is a good choice. It also prefers moist environments, so if yours is a little hotter and dryer, you might want to consider watering it.
9. Fescue
Many individuals prefer to plant fescue in their yards because it is a cool-season grass. This yard grass is common with those who live in cooler climates. Simply because it is relatively easy to maintain.
Fescue grass blades have a tendency to grow upright, and this can be very attractive. Buying fescue yard grass seed is a smart idea, especially if you want a lawn that looks great and can survive in a slightly cooler environment.
This grass is capable of withstanding both heat and cold. You should not have too many problems with this grass if you give it enough sun.
It can withstand being placed in the shade. But it will need at least some sunlight to fully grow solid. To get the best results, make sure your lawn is only partially shaded.
10. Carpet Grass
Warm-season carpet grass can flourish in the coastal and tropical South. Even if it is not widely planted, as long as you can devote time to its upkeep.
While it requires little feeding and is reasonably shade resistant, this is the lawn grass of last resort.
It is delicate, needs a lot of water, and does best in wet, acid soil as according to The Southern Living Garden Book.
It is most commonly found in Florida, where the soil composition and saturation make it difficult to grow other grasses.
11. Buffalo Grass
This is a drought-tolerant, hardy, low-maintenance warm-season grass. It will grow even without fertilizer, but it prefers the sun and will not flourish in the shade.
It is defined in The Southern Living Garden Book as Florida, and the Gulf Coast are not well suited to it. Buffalo grass thrives when allowed to grow tall, but it needs three mowings a year to maintain a thick turf.
Selections: ‘Top Gun’ is a cold-hardy plant that grows thickly and has a lovely summer look. In the summer, ‘609’ turns blue-green and forms a dense carpet without any ugly seed heads
12. Seashore Paspalum
Seashore Paspalum is native to the sandy soils along the coast from North Carolina to Texas as according to The Southern Living Garden Book.
It is even more resistant to cold and salt spray than Bahia turf, which makes it an excellent alternative for coastal lawns. It can withstand drought, but it will need a lot of water to get started.
Selections: ‘Sea Isle 2000’ looks like a hybrid Bermuda grass, but it can withstand colder temperatures.
13. Artificial Grass
Artificial grass can be extremely useful, especially in areas where the grass is difficult to develop. If you are having trouble growing a lawn in your town, you may want to look into the artificial options available.
These choices can be very attractive and are usually simple to set up. This will encourage you to enjoy the appearance of having a lawn without having to deal with many of the issues that come with it.
In areas that are difficult to mow, some people prefer to plant artificial grass. It may be difficult to mow an area that is very hilly or has a steep slope, for example.
You might simply install artificial grass in this spot instead of causing injury by mowing at an uncomfortable angle. It will encourage your lawn to remain beautiful while removing an overly difficult job from your plate.
Both cold and heat are not a problem for artificial turf. No matter what kind of climate you live in, you will find it easy to use this artificial grass. It can be used to highlight specific areas of your lawn or to cover a conventional lawn completely.
Final Thoughts
Many factors influence the form of grass that is best for your lawn.
These considerations include:
• how appealing you want your lawn to be,
• how much foot traffic you expect,
• weather conditions at your home.
We hope that now that you are aware of the various forms of grass and conditions for the various grasses, that we have made decision-making so much easier for you.
Jenny Marie
Tribal Writer
Edited By
Patricia Godwin
