Southern climates are typically characterized by long, hot summers and mild winters. These areas demand grasses that can tolerate heat and often high foot traffic.
Choosing the right southern grass variety is essential for maintaining a lush, green lawn or turf year-round.
This article explores the most popular southern grass types in detail, their environmental adaptability, ideal use cases, and maintenance needs.
1. Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Best for: Residential and commercial lawns, golf courses, and athletics fields
Bermuda grass is one of the most popular grass types in the South, known for its fine texture, dark green color, and aggressive growth habits. It spreads quickly via rhizomes and stolons, creating a dense and durable turf.
This grass has high wear resistance but it also demands frequent maintenance. It requires full sun (at least 6–8 hours daily), frequent dethatching, mowing, and fertilizing, especially during its peak growing season.
Bermudagrass is not shade-tolerant which means it goes dormant and turns brown in winter. It’s a popular grass for residential and commercial lawns, golf courses, and athletic fields.
2. Zoysia grass (Zoysia spp.)
Best for: Residential lawns, golf courses, and recreational parks
Zoysia grass is a slow-growing, dense grass that provides a lush, carpet-like appearance. It’s more shade-tolerant than Bermudagrass and has excellent drought resistance once established.
To keep it healthy, fertilize moderately and mow it to a height of 1.5–2.5 inches. The dense growth chokes out weeds, but it may also occasionally require dethatching.
Zoysia retains its color longer into the cool season and also tolerates moderate foot traffic, making it a favorite turf for residential lawns, golf courses, and recreational parks.
However, it is slower to repair damage and has a slower spring green-up than other grasses.
3. St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)
Best for: Shaded residential and commercial lawns and coastal golf courses, depending on the variety.
St. Augustine grass is coarse-textured, popular for its rich green color and shade tolerance. It has good salt tolerance, making it a common turf in Florida and other Gulf Coast states.
The grass requires moderate maintenance, including mowing and fertilization. With proper care, it produces a thick turf that outcompetes other weed growth.
The lush green provides a tropical look and is often found in commercial and residential lawns and coastal golf courses.
One downside of St. Augustine Grass is that it’s susceptible to chinch bugs and fungal diseases.
4. Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)
Best for: Residential lawns and roadside and highway shoulders
Where durability comes secondary to aesthetics, most turf managers prefer Bahiagrass. It is a tough, coarse-textured grass with excellent drought resistance.
Bahiagrass can grow in poor soils, including sandy soil, and only requires minimal maintenance. Due to its durability, it’s best suited for utility areas and rural properties.
5. Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides)
Best for: Residential lawns, vacation homes, and rental properties
Centipede grass is another slow-growing grass for homeowners who prefer simplicity over high-maintenance turf. It has a coarse texture and a light green color, making it a popular grass for areas where appearance matters but heavy foot traffic is moderate.
Nicknamed the “lazy man’s grass,” Centipedegrass is a low-maintenance turf that only needs minimal watering and fertilizer to thrive.
It is commonly used in residential lawns (especially in the Deep South with acidic soils), vacation homes, and rental properties. Centipedegrass can also be grown on commercial lawns where heavy foot traffic is rare.
6. Carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis)
Best for: Shady and low-traffic residential lawns
Carpetgrass is a warm-season turf that thrives in moist, poorly drained soils. It has a coarse texture and lighter green color, often used in shaded, low-traffic areas. Carpetgrass is a lesser-known warm-season option that thrives in wet, low-lying areas.
It’s not as drought tolerant as other southern grass varieties but has moderate maintenance requirements. Infrequent fertilizer and mowing, regular watering, and moderate overseeding in patchy spots are all it needs to thrive.
The grass is used in low-traffic residential lawns, shady or wet lawns with poor drainage, and under trees or slopes where water tends to collect.
7. Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum)
Best for: Luxury residential or commercial lawns in coastal zones, resorts, and coastal golf courses
Seashore paspalum is a premium grass variety with a fine texture and deep green color that gives a lush, manicured appearance.
As its name indicates, it grows well in sandy soils and has high salt tolerance, making it a top choice for coastal properties. It does not tolerate drought, freezing, or shade.
This grass variety has high maintenance needs including abundant watering and regular fertilizing to maintain its optimal look.
Seashore Paspalum is commonly used in luxury coastal resorts, residential and commercial properties near the coast, and golf courses.
Each of the southern grass varieties has its strengths and ideal use case. Whether you’re managing a golf course, designing a residential landscape, or planning for commercial aesthetics, ensure that you match the grass variety with the right environment to enjoy a thriving long-lasting, healthy turf.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.