Turfgrass species: Tour: Common and Scientific name:
Zoysiagrass - Zoysia spp. Willd.
|
Plant characteristics
| Growth Habit | stolons and rhizomes |
| Texture | fine to coarse depending on type |
| Density | excellent density, but slow growth |
| Color | medium to light green |
Useful identifying Characteristics
| Ligule a fringe of hairs, presence of stolons and rhizomes, rolled vernation. |
Uses
| It is used for golf course fairways and tees as well as home lawns in the
transition zone; used as a buffer strip between bermudagrass fairways and bentgrass greens in the south. |
Other Characteristics
| Varieties | Fine texture, not winter hardy | Coarse texture, winter hardy |
| Zoysia tenufolia Zoysia matrella Zoysia hybrids -- Emerald |
Zoysia japonica -- Meyer, Midwest | |
| Seeding Rate | plugs on 6 to 12" centers | |
Reproduction
| Life cycle | perennial |
| Propagation | sod plugs, or chemically treated seed |
| Seeds/lb | - |
Adaptation
| Sun/shade | both, has fair shade tolerance |
| Soil | tolerates a wide range of soil types, except poorly drained soils |
| Moisture | excellent drought tolerance, needs no additional irrigation |
| Mowing height | 1/2" to 1", need reel mower for good results |
| Fertility | low to medium 1-3 lb N/1000 sq.ft./yr |
Special Problems
| Can develop thick thatch layer if not managed properly. Since it is a warm-season grass, it will stay brown till late May and turn brown in late September. Grows very slowly so that it takes a long time to recover from injury. Difficult to mow. |