St. Augustine Grass – By far the most popular choice for lawns in Florida, St. Augustine grass has a broad, flat blades and is nearly a dark bluish-green in color. Planted by sprigs, plugs or sods, St. Augustine is spread over the ground using stolons or runners – resulting in a dense layer of lawn that establishes quickly and thrives beautifully in warm climates. Requiring irrigation to maintain its pristine appearance, St. Augustine can still survive a drought and be grown in a wide variety of soil types. It’s best kept mowed to a height of around 3.5 to 4 inches in length.

Bermuda Grass – Most commonly used for recreational sports fields and golf courses for its ability to withstand heavy traffic, Bermuda grass has long, rough edges and is usually greyish-green in color. It grows very well in Florida’s hot climate and has a deep root system that makes Bermuda grass extremely resistant to drought. Bermuda grass can be grown using sprigs or seed and is required to have full sunlight. Bermuda grass forms a solid, dense mat and grows very quickly in various types of soil. Bermuda Grass is nicknamed “Devil’s grass” because of its tendency to aggressively spread into flower beds and gardens.

Bahia Grass – Due to its ability to grow in soils that are sandy and less fertile, Bahia grass is a popular grass choice in Florida. A crab apple green grass, Bahia grass is grown with seeds and produces a solid, dense sod. Very tolerant to dry or drought conditions, Bahia forms a highly extensive root system and a resistance to lawn pests. Bahia does not take well to being over watered or in too much shade and will withstand moderate traffic.

Centipede Grass – The most common grass used for Florida lawns, Centipede grass is ideal for homeowners who desire a low key, low maintenance lawn. Yellowish-green in color, Centipede grass spreads to produce a medium texture by stolons. A slowly growing grass, Centipede allows for longer time to pass between mows and is drought resistant and able to grow in sandy or mildly acidic soil. While sensitive to over fertilization, Centipede grass requires little for turf maintenance.

For more information on the grass in your lawn or choices in re-sodding your lawn with a different type of grass, contact Mansfield Landscaping.