Florida Grass Shade Tolerance

Augustine grass and zoysia warm season grass.

Florida grass shade tolerance.

Shade grass refers to any type of grass or combination of grass varieties that are shade tolerant. Improved cultivars look and grow like other popular lawn grasses with the added benefit of being heat and drought tolerant turf type tall fescues have a wider leaf blade than fine fescues and are often used in seed blends where a shade loving slow growing or drought resistant turf is desired. It has an excellent tolerance for high temperatures and can grow in all different types of soil. In areas that receive moderate amounts of shade certain species and cultivars of grass persist while other less shade tolerant species may not perform well over time.

Grass growing in some shade has less heat and drought stress and maintains a darker green color than grass growing in continual full sunlight. With a beautiful finely textured turf this grass does best in light traffic areas with minimal shade. This grass can adapt well to high temperature areas such as florida and is the most shade tolerant of the warm season grasses. Red fescue or chewings fescue are good cool season types.

Augustine grass is available in a number of varieties including seville which has the finest texture of the different types floratam floratine jade floralawn common and raleigh. The most shade tolerant of these are rough bluegrass specifically the sabre cultivar i e a special grass variety produced through selective plant breeding which can survive on four hours of. Buffalo grass bouteloua dactyloides buffalo grass has a unique blue green color and curling leaf blades. Instead of planting just one species you could also choose to mix grass seed to get a sun and shade balance.

Shade can range from partial shade some sun during the day to full shade shady most of the day. However buffalo grass is not shade tolerant or suitable for high traffic areas. Augustine is a good warm season variety. Shade tolerant grass varieties are available but remember the key word is tolerant no grass is likely to grow well for long in deep shade.

As far as grass types for shade st. Lemon grass this ornamental grass grows well in the tropical florida environment and is easy to care for and thrives in full sun either outside or indoors. Cool season grass types for low light conditions would be ryegrass tall fescue and fine fescue. Excessive watering weakens the grass leaving it prone to.

Sun shade seed blends are also available. One of the best features of buffalo grass is its drought tolerance lush turf and ability to survive stress. Tall fescue grass. Muhly grass is drought tolerant and grows best in the sun and its versatility allows for the plant to thrive throughout florida in stunning gardens or landscaping.

Buffalo grass is the only grass on our list that can withstand temperature extremes.