Rankings of Grasses for various factors

These graphs have been established from the collective opinions of various specialist in turf grasses.   Different varieties of grasses do better in certain situations than others.   Keep in mind that these are not precise rankings, and a variety of factors can affect the actual performance of a grass within any one area of comparison.

Mowing heights | Hot temperature effects | Cold temperature effects
Drought | Traffic tolerance | Fertilizer rates | Shade effects | Establishment Time
Insect Resistance | Disease Resistance | Salt Water Tolerance
Seeding Rates | Cost of Establishment | Soil pH

Mowing heights - Actual heights to mow different grasses are a factor of the how each individual grass grows and responds to mowing.  Certain grasses can accept lower mowing heights better than others.  Grasses below in the range toward "Low" can be mowed at lower heights than those marked "High".   Many times the actual height range can at times be adjusted within a specific range based on personal preferences and a determination of the health of the grass.

Hot Temperatures - Grasses that can handle high temperatures.  Grasses are divided in to cool season and warm season grasses.   Thus the nature of a grass species determines how it is affected by high temperatures.  Some improved varieties of different grasses (some hybrid Bermuda's for example) have been bred to accept higher temperatures.  In general if a grass can handle hot temperatures, it cannot flourish under cold temperatures and vice versa.   So.... a grass must be chosen more for your geographical weather conditions based on its performance under temperatures.  Keep in mind that high or low temperatures can actually kill different species of grasses.  See our page on Area of Adaptation for more about temperature ranges and survivability of grasses in various climates.

Cold Temperatures- Grasses with a high tolerance of cold. See Hot graph above.  Also read about Area of Adaptation for grasses suitable for warm and cold climates.  Grasses listed below with High Tolerance of cold do better and can survive at lower temperatures. Winter kill can result in grasses with low tolerance to cold temperatures.

Drought - Effects of lack of rain-fall or irrigation on grasses.  A higher tolerance means the grass will stay greener longer and be more likely survive extended drought conditions without water.

Traffic - Wear and tear on grass from foot-traffic (people walking), playing (football fields) and vehicle traffic can severely damage or kill turf grasses.  All grasses need a period of time to recover from the abuse suffered from traffic. High tolerance grasses can sustain more traffic before noticeable injury.

Fertilizer: Rates and requirements are two different things.  A properly managed lawn includes a fertilization program to provide for a proper growth and green color.  Too much fertilizer can hurt grasses more than help!  Look at our fertilizer rates page for more information. Low rates simply mean they require less fertilization to grow.   With the environment Nitrate concerns of today's water quality, a grass that can perform well under low fertilize rates is preferable to one requiring higher rates.

Shade refers to the amount of sunlight that a lawn area (and grass plant) receives each day.  In general all plants require sunlight, and if the trees are blocking your lawn from receiving a certain minimum amount of sunlight for a grass to survive, you simply will never establish a proper lawn in that area.  The simple answer is to remove trees (or limbs) so that the area receives more sunlight.  Grasses vary in the amount of sunlight needed to sustain growth.  Selecting a grass that is tolerant of shade can help in increasing your chances of having a lawn in a shaded location.  Remember that shade can also be a complimentary factor to Heat tolerance.

Establishment time refers to how long it takes to establish a grass from sprigs or seed.  Sodding of course is instantaneous (at least in looks) and is not considered in this graph.  Time also depends on what use you want the lawn to perform for you.  Is it for looks, soil establishment, or for a Turfgrass quality sod?  Many grasses can be established from both Seeds and Sprigs (vegetative establishment from stolons).  Others only from stolons.

Insect Resistance - Warm Season grasses only.  All grasses have some insect problems - none are resistant.   The actual problems can vary depending on location, time of year, insecticide treatment (if any), fertilization rates (higher rates can result in more insect damage), and other factors.  Some grasses inherently have more problems with specific insects than others.

Diseases - Different grasses are affected by different diseases.  Some though have more diseases that affect them than others. 

Salt Water - Some grasses are more suitable for planting near the sea coast than others.  This is due to the individual grasses tolerance of salt in the water and soil from ocean water.

Seeding -  Higher rates of seed (lbs. per sq.ft.) are needed for some grasses versus others. High rates do not necessarily mean higher costs, as the per lb. cost for low rates of seed often are much higher than the high rate seed.  This is all a factor of economics and costs in the harvesting/producing of the various seeds.

St. Augustine Grass is generally established from sod/sprigs.

Cost - The dollars actually expended can vary considerably depending on the site preparation, cost of seeds, who does the work (yourself or a landscape contractor) and other factors.  The cost range below is based on seed or sprig costs for the various grasses and a combination of what is required to prepare the area for seeding.  Prices can vary considerably for the same services in different cities and localities.

Soil pH  - pH is a factor that affects how your plant will grow.  It refers the the acid content of your soil.   Soils in different areas and locations have different pH rates.  Rates can be adjusted through the use of acids and limes applied to the soil.  Some grasses do better than others at different pH rates.