What Type of Grass Do I Have?
A grass lawn is a staple in Texas. It’s nice to be able to walk barefoot through the grass and relax. Since the warm seasons last so long, you get to enjoy your lawn more than most places in the country. Still, while you’re enjoying the lush blades, you might wonder what kind of grass is beneath your feet, and if you’re looking at new sod, you’ll definitely want to know what type of grass you already have.
The Most Common Types of Grass
There are more types of grass than you can count on your fingers. Cold-weather grasses struggle in Texas, so if you see a full, green lawn, it’s almost guaranteed to be one of the four types listed below. There are other warm-weather grasses that can work in a Texas lawn, but they’re harder to find.
Bermuda
Bermuda is probably the most common type of grass in the United States. It is especially common in the southern half of the country, and you can find it on lawns all over Texas. One of the strengths of Bermuda grass is that it can handle being cut very short, and that makes it popular for lawns and golf courses.
Bermuda is identifiable by its pointed blades, deep-green hue, and dense growth. It grows so aggressively that some would consider it an invasive species of grass. Regardless of whether or not you feel that way, Bermuda grass is lush underfoot, and generally speaking, Bermuda lawns will fill out the entire lawn if they are allowed to.
Centipede
Centipede is a popular choice for the south. It definitely favors warm climates, and it also happens to be a low-maintenance type of grass. It has the slowest growth rate of the warm-season grasses, so it doesn’t require mowing as often as other types.
Centipede grass has thick, pointed blades, and the blades have a distinguishable notch on them. It grows a light-green color, tends to be very soft underfoot, and grows with good density.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine gets its name from the Florida city, and this is one of the most common grasses in Florida. That said, it thrives all along the Gulf Coast, and that makes it a viable warm-weather grass in Texas. Provided the climate is humid enough, St. Augustine grass is not terribly high maintenance.
You can identify it by the broad blades, which are much broader than any other grass on this list. It is another dark-green grass, and the blade tips are rounded instead of pointy. St. Augustine grass tends to feel coarse and spongy underfoot.
Zoysia
Zoysia is a warm-weather grass, but it can tolerate colder temperatures than the other grasses listed here. That makes it well suited for areas a little more north (but not far enough north for long, snowy winters). If you live in a part of Texas that gets a little more cold weather than the rest, Zoysia might be the best grass to have for your lawn.
Zoysia is light to medium green. It has a pointed tip and a narrow blade width. In fact, the blade width is the easiest way to distinguish it from other common warm-weather grasses.
Those are the most common lawn grasses in Texas. Bermuda is by far the most common of these four, but it’s not rare to see any of the others in any given neighborhood. No matter which one you have you’ll need to do some maintenance over time to keep it green and looking great. For that, you can handle it yourself or call a lawn care expert.
Contact the Experts
Clearfork Lawn Care is your go-to expert for landscaping and lawn care in Tarrant County and East Parker County, TX. We can help with all of your lawn needs. Contact us online or call us at 817-705-9352 today!