Different Types of Grass: How to Choose For Your Lawn

If you’re a gardener, you know that the right kind of grass is key to having a beautiful lawn. But with all the different types of grass available, how do you choose the perfect one for your needs? This article will help you determine which type of grass is best for your home and garden. So read on to learn more!

What Are Grasses?

All grasses are members of the Poaceae family, one of the most diverse plants in the world. There are over 12,000 species of grasses, including everything from humble lawn grass to exotic bamboo. Grasses are flowering plants that produce seeds, but they are distinguished from other seed-producing plants by their monocotyledonous nature. This means that they have only one seed leaf, or cotyledon, in their seeds. They also typically have parallel veins in their leaves, stems, and flower parts in multiples of three.

The above-ground parts of a grass plant, such as the stem, leaves, and flowers, are what we usually think of as grass. The plant has a low growth point called the crown. This is where the blades of grass grow from, located at the base of the plant near the soil. The roots attach to the crown and extend into the earth, absorbing water, taking up nutrients, anchoring the plant, and providing sod strength.

Types of Grass and Hardiness Zones

When choosing a type of grass for your yard, you need to consider your climate. Different types of grass are better suited for different temperatures.

Turfgrass species fall into two main groups; cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses. We will go into more detail about these kinds of grasses below.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has also divided the country into different hardiness zones based on the average annual minimum temperature. These are helpful because they give a general idea of what plants can thrive in a specific area. Keep in mind that your exact location may have different conditions, so always check with your local nursery to see what would be the best type of grass for you. You can find a map of the hardiness zones here.

Choosing Different Types of Grass by Location

The easiest way to decide which type of grass is best for you is by looking at your location. The map below shows the different zones. Which zone are you in? Use the links below to jump to the correct section for you.

Warm-season zone.
Cool-season zone.
Transition zone.

Warm-Season Grasses

Warm-season grasses grow best in the southern and southeastern United States. They love the heat and thrive in temperatures that are above 75 degrees. These grasses go dormant or turn brown in the fall and winter months when temperatures drop below 50 degrees. However, they quickly green up with the arrival of spring.

If you live in an area with hot summers and mild winters, warm-season grasses may suit your lawn. These grasses can look great even during the year’s hottest months, thanks to their heat-tolerant nature. The grasses tend to be more drought-tolerant and stay lush and green all summer long with regular watering.

With proper care, warm-season grasses can provide a lush, green lawn that will add curb appeal.

Types of Warm-Season Grasses

Zoysia Grass

Zoysia is a warm-season grass with stiff and coarse leaves. It has a light-green color that usually turns brown during dormancy. It is slow-growing and turns dormant during the colder seasons. This warm-season grass forms a thick carpet but can be slow to establish. Zoysiagrass is known for its density, making it ideal for high-traffic areas or areas where you want to control weeds. If you’re looking for a moderate-maintenance lawn, zoysia grass may be a good option.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance-high
Cold tolerance-moderate high
Shade tolerance-moderate high

Augustine Grass

St. Augustine is a tough and resilient grass perfect for hot, sunny climates. It has thick, flat leaves that are dark green in color, forming a dense turf. St. Augustine is a slow-growing grass, but it is very heat resistant and can survive heavy downpours of rain. While it is not as soft as some other types of grass, it can withstand heavy foot traffic. If you are looking for grass that is tough and easy to care for, St. Augustine is a perfect choice.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance-high
Cold tolerance-low
Shade tolerance-high

Bermuda Grass

Bermuda grass is a beautiful, luxurious lawn grass that requires extra maintenance. It has dark green pointed leaves and forms a thick, dense lawn due to its aggressive growth habit and vibrant root system of rhizomes and stolons. Bermuda grass spreads out both below and above the ground, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. Bermuda grass is high maintenance and requires consistent fertilization and watering to stay healthy. If you are willing to put in the extra effort, Bermuda grass can make your lawn look incredible.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance-high
Cold tolerance-moderate
Shade tolerance-low

Want to know how to grow a thick Bermuda lawn? Check out our post here.

Centipede Grass

Centipede grass is a popular choice for lawns because it’s relatively low maintenance. It’s light green and has notched leaves with a medium texture. On the plus side, it doesn’t need much fertilizer or mowing. Centipede grass is also generally resistant to most insects and diseases. The main downside of centipede grass is that it’s not very drought-tolerant. So, you need to water your lawn regularly if you live in a dry climate. Be aware that Centipede Grass cannot tolerate many of the pre-emergent herbicides used to control weeds, which can be problematic.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance-low
Cold tolerance-low moderate
Shade tolerance-moderate

Bahiagrass

Bahiagrass is a tough, drought-resistant grass well-suited to large areas with limited irrigation. It forms a dense, low-growing turf with a medium to coarse texture. Bahiagrass seed germinates slowly but establishes well, and the turf is relatively easy to maintain. Bahiagrass is an excellent choice for lawns that require minimal maintenance and can tolerate poor soil conditions. Keep Bahiagrass short, or it will produce lots of unsightly tall seed heads. The lack of turf density also means it is unsuitable for high-traffic lawns.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance-high
Cold tolerance-moderate
Shade tolerance-moderate

Finding this post helpful? Read all of my lawn care articles.

Types of Cool-Season Grasses

Cool-season grasses have adapted to grow well in cool climates. They thrive in the spring and fall when temperatures are cooler (between 60-75F). These grasses maintain their green color well into the fall, and some may stay green throughout the winter. They tolerate summer stress periods, though their growth slows down in midsummer, especially when not irrigated. Cool-season grasses are ideal for lawns in cooler climates. The following grasses are classified as cool-season grasses.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky Bluegrass is the most widely used cool-season turfgrass in the United States. It germinates quickly and develops a dense turf that is lush and soft.

Kentucky Bluegrass is winter hardy and has an excellent capacity for self-repair. The disadvantages of this species include its shallow root system and its relatively high-water demand.

Kentucky Bluegrass is the ideal grass for families with young children or walking barefoot. The blades have a deep green color and mow cleanly, making an attractive lawn. This grass requires a relatively high level of maintenance, but the results can be worth it.

Heat tolerance- medium-high
Drought tolerance- low
Cold tolerance-moderate
Shade tolerance- low

Tall Fescue

Tall Fescue is one of the most versatile grasses available. It’s known for its tolerance of wear, heat, and drought, so it’s one of the top three cool-season kinds of grass in the United States. Tall Fescue can persist in all kinds of adverse environments, including acidic and alkaline soils, shade, salinity, and wet and/or compacted soils.

Tall Fescue is a bunch-type grass. It spreads via vertical shoots known as “tillers,” which emerge from the grass plant’s base and spread vertically. This forms clumps of grass. This bunching growth means it is not invasive and makes it simple to keep out of flower beds. Still, it limits its ability to recover from lawn damage.

The species is also limited by poor cold tolerance and a rather coarse-textured appearance.

Heat tolerance- high
Drought tolerance- moderate
Cold tolerance- moderate low
Shade tolerance-moderate high

Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial ryegrass produces a soft, lush lawn that can handle a fair amount of traffic. It has fine, deep green blades and a glossy texture that gives it an elegant look. Perennial ryegrass is also one of the most tolerant of all cool-season grasses and is relatively low maintenance. Perennial ryegrass is a bunch forming grass that germinates quickly and spreads slowly. It grows best in areas where summers are moderate, and winters are cool. However, some gardeners living in warmer climates use it to overseed warm-season grasses. It provides a welcome splash of color through the winter when warm-season grasses go dormant.

Heat tolerance- low, moderate
Drought tolerance- varies between species.
Cold tolerance-good
Shade tolerance- moderate

Fine Fescue

Fine Fescues is known for its fine texture and ability to adapt to shady areas. It’s also relatively low-maintenance in terms of nitrogen requirements. However, Fine Fescues don’t do well in excessively wet areas and can be susceptible to disease.

Fine Fescue is shade tolerant and can deal with some cold weather reasonably well. However, it doesn’t recover quickly from damage and is prone to excessive thatch build-up. For these reasons, it’s best suited in mixtures with other cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass in lawns that receive full sun and shade. Kentucky bluegrass will take over in the full sun, whereas fine fescues will dominate in the shade. By combining different types of grass, you can enjoy the benefits of both species.

Heat tolerance- medium-high
Drought tolerance-moderate
Cold tolerance-moderate
Shade tolerance- high

Transition Zone

If you live in the Transition Zone, you face particular challenges choosing grass. As the name implies, the transition zone is where cool and warm-season zones meet. You can grow both warm and cool-season grass, but it is essential to consider local growing conditions. Because there is no specific grass type that is ideally suited for this zone.

Some gardeners advocate overseeding warm-season grasses with cool-season grasses in the fall. This strategy provides color year-round as each grass thrives in different seasons.

Others choose cool-season grass, knowing they need to work harder to irrigate their lawns in the warmer summer months.

Personal recommendations are often one of the best decision-making factors for choosing grass for your Transition Zone garden. It can be helpful to talk to your neighbors, your cooperative extension office, or your local nursery. They will give you a better idea of what grasses work the best in your local climate.

Tall Fescue and Zoysia Grass are two of the most commons species grown in this zone.

Whichever approach you choose, remember that maintaining a healthy lawn in the Transition Zone requires some extra effort. But with a bit of care, you can have a beautiful lawn that will become the talk of the neighborhood.

Grasses FAQ

How many types of grass are there?

There are more than 780 genera and 12,000 individual species of grass. This large and diverse group ranges from small, fine-textured plants found on lawns to giant bamboos, which may reach a height of 100 ft. (30 m) and have a stem diameter of up to 1 ft. (30 cm).

Only a minimal number of these grasses are suited for use as turf. They are generally low-growing and can withstand the continuous defoliation caused by mowing.

Different types of grasses have adapted to varying climates and soil conditions around the world, which is one of the reasons why they are such a successful and widespread family of plants. Scientists at research and breeding facilities have worked hard to develop grasses that will withstand the challenging growing conditions in various climates.

How can you tell what type of grass you have?

How can you tell what type of grass you have? By looking at it very closely. There are several ways:

Look at the blades. They come in different widths, and the tips can be rounded, sharp or even boat-shaped.
Look at the vernation, which is how the new leaves are arranged. They can be V-shaped and folded or circular and rolled.
Look at the growth habit. Some types of grass form clumps, while others spread out via above-ground stems (called stolons) or below-ground stems (called rhizomes). Looking closely at these features should help you identify your lawn grass type. All you need is a good guide.

This page has a helpful guide and photographs to help you figure out what kind of grass you have.

Can you mix grass types?

The short answer is yes, you can mix grass types on your lawn. In fact, lawns with different grass types can do very well. Many lawns have other growing conditions from one end to another. There can be sunny and shady spots, wet and dry areas, or even different soil types. A combination of grass types can be helpful. If one of the grasses performs poorly in a yard section, the other grasses will fill in for it. So, if you’re looking to create a healthy and hardy lawn, don’t be afraid to mix it up!

For example, a mixture of sun-loving and shade tolerate seeds ensures that you have grass that will grow in both shady and sunny areas.

What is the most durable type of lawn grass?

When picking the most durable lawn grass, you really have to consider what climate you’re in.

Kentucky Bluegrass will be your best bet if you live in a cool climate. This is a tough, reliable, cool-season grass that grows well. It is well known for its ability to recover from damage and will cope with heavy foot traffic.

However, if you live in a warm climate, Bermuda grass will be a better option. It’s more drought-resistant and can tolerate heavy use with ease.

If you live in the Transition zone, Tall Fescue is the best choice for a lawn used a lot. It is a resilient specimen and thrives in both sunny and partially shaded areas.

How I Researched For This Post

This post is the result of about 3 hours of research. I work in an academic library, so I have access to many scientific journals and books. When I write a post, I look at the scientific literature and use that information. I used the following resources.

North Carolina State University Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education, NCSU TurfFiles Grass Identification.
Christians, N. E., Patton, A. J., & Law, Q. D. (2016). Fundamentals of turfgrass management. John Wiley & Sons.

Final Thoughts

The grass is an integral part of any yard, and there are various types to choose from. If you’re trying to figure out which grass is best for your needs or just want to learn more about each option, this post is a great start. We hope it will help you make an informed decision. If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family who might also be interested in learning more.