10/25/22, 8:07 AM Different Types of Grass - Lawn Love

Different Types of Grass

by Sara Butler | Updated: June 17, 2022 | 0 Comments
Lawn Care Tips

The appearance of one’s front lawn is imperative to maintaining an appealing and

welcoming home. In some US neighborhoods, homeowners are even required to keep
their lawn to a certain standard. However, maintaining a beautiful grass lawn is not
always an easy task for inexperienced homeowners.

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The first step to understanding how to maintain a beautiful lawn is knowing what type of
grass to use. Only then can you begin to know what methods of treatment and
maintenance you should be using. To help you out, Lawn Love has compiled this guide to
the different types of common grasses found across the United States.

We hope that this list can help you discover your lawn’s grass type by describing the
conditions under which each type of grass likely survives in. After knowing what specific
type of grass your lawn has, you can better manage and maintain both the appearance
and the health of your lawn.

Cool-Season Grasses in the North

Fescue
Fescue grasses have extremely fine, thin blades, with a texture similar to hair. There are
multiple different types of Fescue grasses, like Chewings Fescue, Red Fescue, Sheep
Fescue, and Hard Fescue. There are two types of Fescue grass commonly found in the
northern regions of the United States,

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Tall Fescue

Tall Fescue grass can tolerate relatively high temperatures but is still classified as a cool-
season grass. It is known for sticking out in uneven patches because some portions of
the grass grow taller and faster than other parts of the same grass. Tall Fescue also
bears a similar resemblance to common weed types of grass.

Some lawn enthusiasts even claim that it should be defined as a weed type grass
because of this. Furthermore, Tall Fescue is not recommended when mixed with different
types of seeds for sprouting lawns because it has wide blades and grows in bunches,
leading to an uneven looking lawn.

Fine Fescue

Fine Fescue grasses is found in areas that contain large amounts of shade. Such as areas
with large areas of trees, tall surrounding structures, or under other large objects that
may be creating blocking the sun from reaching your lawn. Unlike Tall Fescue, Fine
Fescue is intolerant to hot or dry conditions.

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Kentucky Bluegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass is a type of grass commonly found in the northern regions of the
United States where moderate temperatures are prevalent throughout the year. It has a
deep greenish and sometimes a bluish color and has a coarse, dry texture when touched.

Kentucky Bluegrass has an intense root system below the soil. For this reason, it is
classified as being an extremely thick and durable grass.

The extensive root system allows the grass to repair itself quickly after experiencing
severe or moderate damage. With that being said, this type of grass is found in areas that
are exposed to a large amount of wear and tear, like around your driveway, surrounding
walkways, and around steps.

Kentucky Bluegrass is popular in the northern regions of the United States because it
does not cooperate well with extremely high temperatures or areas susceptible to
droughts. These grasses require a mixture of sunshine as well as rain in order to grow
successfully.

Ryegrass
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Ryegrass has a shiny texture and is rare because unlike most other grasses, it’s veins are
visible on the blade. When mowed, Ryegrass’ health depends on the sharpness of the
blade used on the mower. When cutting Ryegrass with a sharp blade, a white color is left
on top of each blade of grass.

Also, when Ryegrass is cut with a dull blade, the grass starts to shred. You should always
use mid-sharp blades when cutting Ryegrass or you risk damaging your lawn
permanently.

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There are many different types of Ryegrass found across the United States. The most
common type is Perennial Ryegrass. It is the most commonly recommended type of grass
to use when mixing multiple grass types for a lawn. This is largely due to its aesthetic
appearance and ability to grow quickly.

Warm-Season Grasses in the South

Bermuda
Bermuda grass is commonly found in the most southern regions of the United States
(especially California). This type of grass tolerates not only extremely high temperatures,
but it is also able to thrive in colder temperatures.

Bermuda grass can healthily withstand being cut shorter than most other types of
grasses can handle. For this reason, Bermuda grasses are commonly found in many golf
courses in the Southern regions of the United States.

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Bermuda grass can independently spread and seed above the ground as well as through
the soil that’s below the ground (through the grass’ stem system). It has a dense root
system, making it an extremely durable and thick type of grass, even the majority of the
root system is growing above the ground.

This grass is the single most popular type of grass found on residential lawns across the
United States. This is ironic because Bermuda grass requires a large amount of technical
maintenance. Continuous labor is necessary to keep this grass type growing beautiful
and healthy, (such as year-round fertilization, watering, and regular mowing to a short
level).

Zoysia
Zoysia grass is very prickly and has stiff leaf blades. It is commonly grown in the central
United States and even in some Eastern regions, like North and South Carolina since
Zoysia grass grows best when exposed to large amounts of sunlight.

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Zoysia grass grows at a prolonged rate, and can even take up to one full year for the
grass to fully develop from seed. Even though Zoysia grass grows at an extremely low
rate, once fully grown, it is a very thick, dense, and robust type of grass.

Zoysia grass also produces an excessive amount of seeds when not mowed on a regular
basis. This contributes to the grass growing extraordinarily thick, and it can quickly
become out of control. For this reason regular, attentive maintenance of Zoysia grass is
crucial to maintaining a beautiful, healthy lawn.

Centipede
Centipede grass is found in lawns located in warm and humid regions of the Southern
United States. This grass commonly spreads and multiplies in soil that is above the
ground. For this reason, Centipede grass can be similar in appearance to turf grass.

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Centipede grass grows horizontally and has short blades. Both of these characteristics
are beneficial for keeping pests away from your lawn.

This grass is unable to grow in climates that are dry and hot since it requires large
amounts of moisture to successfully grow and maintain its health. Although it requires
large quantities of hydration, it requires low maintenance, since it doesn’t need fertilizer
or other certain specifications to grow.

Bahia
Bahiagrass is found in lawns located in Florida as well as some other regions of America’s
South. Bahiagrass is characterized by its durability as well as its ability to grow in soil
that even contains some amounts of sand. Although Bahia grass is durable, it’s not thick,
and it has a texture that resembles turf.

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Since Bahia grass is durable, it is often grown in areas of lawns surrounding walkways,
driveways, sidewalks, and gardens. Bahiagrass requires frequent mowing it because it
needs to be kept short to maintain its appearance and health.

St. Augustine
St. Augustine grass is commonly grown in lawns located in America’s most Southern
states, including Texas, Florida, and other states along the Gulf Coast. This type of grass
is unable to withstand colder temperatures, but it can tolerate areas containing
extremely high temperatures and even droughts.

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St. Augustine grass has a coarse texture and is recognizable by its broad blades and
round tips. This grass is also capable of spreading and multiplying through soil that is
located above the ground. There are different types of St. Augustine grass, including
Floratam, which has longer blades of grass than the typical St, Augustine grass does.

Types of Ornamental Grass

Ornamental grasses are typically only noticed for their appearance, instead of serving a
function. You may choose to use ornamental grasses in your lawn if you live in an area
that has frequent droughts since types of ornamental grass are drought-resistant and
don’t require much moisture.

Festuca

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Festuca grass is classified as an ornamental grass that is capable of withstanding a wide

variety of inclement weather conditions. Not only this, but Festuca grass is also
beneficial for people that travel in the summertime because it doesn’t require water
maintenance during the hot, summer months.

Festuca grass is typically grown around the edges and borders of lawns, such as lining
sidewalks, driveways, or along your house. Additionally, this type of ornamental grass
presents a mixture of a blue and green color, which is beneficial for people that have
bright plants in their garden.

Fountain Grass
Fountain grass is popular for growing in bunches with each other, which is beneficial for
people that want more height in their lawn and garden areas. Not only this, but Fountain
grass also can withstand a variety of weather conditions, including long periods of
drought. Additionally, Fountain grass can grow in several different types of soil. There are
multiple types of Fountain grass, including Redhead and Hameln.

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Silvergrass
Silvergrass is a type of ornamental grass that’s capable of handling a wide range of
weather conditions, making it easier for you to manage your lawn if you live in areas
susceptible to drought, frequent floods, or even hurricanes. Not only this, but Silvergrass
also requires low maintenance, since they don’t need large amounts of water and they
are extremely easy to manage.

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Silvergrass also can withstand severe winter conditions, and they can prevent insects
and pests from coming into your lawn. These types of grasses even have flowers that
bloom in the late summer and early autumn months, which allows you to make your
lawn look even more personal to you.

Muhlenbergia
Muhlenbergia grass is an ornamental grass that’s commonly referred to as Muhly Grass. It
is well known for its color. Muhly grass typically has a pleasant mixture of purple and
pink colors and is a popular pick for homeowners that wish to add more color to their
lawn or garden. Not only this, but Muhlenbergia grass can successfully grow from a wide
variety of soils, which requires little maintenance from you.

Muhlenbergia grass grows best in locations that receive a large amount of sunlight.
Muhlenbergia grass must be planted with sufficient space in between each plant to
ensure that each plant gets enough sunlight and has enough room to grow to its full
capacity.

Finding out what type of grass you have on your lawn is a problematic yet crucial process
for maintaining your lawn. However, with this guide you are now one step closer to
understanding your lawn and the maintenance required to ensure it remains healthy and
beautiful for years to come.

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Sara Butler
Sara Butler has written scores of articles for Lawn Love -- everything
from how to revive your dead lawn to how to start to lawn care tools
every homeowner should have.

Posts by Sara Butler

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