Types of grass in Texas that thrive the most are usually warm season grasses like Bermuda, Buffalo, and Zoysia. Of course, you cannot expect cool-season grasses like tall fescues to grow in Texas’s extremely hot and dry conditions.
Look at these six grass varieties that grow the best in this state, where it is hard for most other grasses to grow.
Let us see the uses, characteristics, and maintenance that comes along with these grasses.
Contents
Top Types Of Grass In Texas
1. Zoysia Grass
| Scientific Name | Zoysia poaceae |
| Color | Medium to emerald-green |
| Maintenance Level | Low maintenance |
| Watering Needs | Half to one-inch per week |
Zoysia is a grass that is very popular in Texas despite being a bit on the pricey side owing to its low maintenance and gorgeous color.
This type of grass is one that would have it best used in luxurious settings like golf courses, tennis courts, and private lawns. It can tolerate being walked on and used daily without getting damaged. It is well-suited to Texas’ hot summer and thrives during the spring-summer season, because it would be totally fine with these requirements. Unlike other warm-season grasses, moreover, they can tolerate cold and grow in North Texas.
These grass would range from medium-green to emerald green in color and has grass blades that are long, thin, and fine. These blades grow very close together in clusters, making them look like a fine carpet. It also has the distinction of being one of the finest-textured grass types in Texas.
On the other hand, also know that it prefers well-aerated and sand-rich soils to take root. An inch of water every week is enough, but sun exposure should be direct for at least seven to eight hours each day. You can keep Zoysia in 40 percent partial shade, but its growth will suffer, and the color will not be as vibrant.
2. Bermuda Grass
| Scientific Name | Cynodon dactylon |
| Color | medium-green in color |
| Maintenance Level | Very low-maintenance |
| Watering Needs | One to two inches of water each week |
Bermuda is the best grass for Texas heat because it can survive well in temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the weather that this state would be subjected to, however, the grass will be resistant to it. This grass grows well in all residential areas because of its high tolerance for traffic. On the other hand, it is also one that you would be at peace with knowing that you can let your kids and pets out to play on it, because it is tolerant to foot trafficking.
Bermuda is the grass that looks medium to deep green when healthy. The stolons at the base of each leaf have very fine hair. While it is a densely growing grass, it tends to be rough to the touch.
To elaborate further, you should keep the lawn care for this grass at ease, because it is simple and inexpensive to take care of in the long term. It needs full sun all day long and two inches of water every week to stay healthy, which means that take care that the soil is acidic enough and well-draining.
3. Centipede Grass
| Scientific Name | Eremochloa ophiuroides |
| Color | deep-green |
| Maintenance Level | relatively high-maintenance |
| Watering Needs | One inch every week |
The centipede is the grass that has a luxurious and rich-colored grass, and its grass seeds can grow in the various soil types present in Texas. The reason why you should invest in it is that this is best for areas that people use less, and this is such a gorgeous grass variety that it suits ornamental gardens, lawns, and turfs.
This grass has excellent weed control properties for weed-ridden soils in Texas. It forms an extensive system of roots underground that competes with weeds and keeps them from growing. When it has a characteristic as such, this would give you a reason why it would stay neat in your lawn.
This grass was named centipede because it gives off stolons from which emerge multiple grass blades. This resembles the limbs growing from the body of a centipede. Its leaves have a distinct boat-like shape and are light green. The collar region from which leaves emerge gives off a purple tinge.
This grass thrives in hot weather conditions above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, moreover, note that as long as it gets one inch of water every week, this grass will carry on growing at its finest. However, it is a drought-tolerant grass that can survive even in sandy soils. Centipede only grows well if it gets direct sunshine for most of the day.
4. Carpet Grass
| Scientific Name | A. affinis |
| Color | Light green |
| Maintenance Level | Easy to maintain |
| Watering Needs | Half an inch to one inch per week |
We are talking about the grass species A. affinis that closely resembles centipede and St Augustine in appearance and is better suited to the coastal areas of Texas. However, it is one that would grow in a very and a healthy manner.
The tolerance level of this grass for foot traffic is mild to moderate at best. It can survive in pastures and lawns well if not used too much. What you should remember is that it is a densely growing grass that looks like a carpet of light green leaves and can withstand fluctuations in south Texas temperatures without dying.
This grass is coarse-textured like St Augustine and also looks like it. On the other hand, if you aim to have a close inspection, you will notice that its leaves have wavy margins, and this is one of its beautiful features. It is also much lighter in color and grows using stolons growing above the soil.
Lastly, remember that the lawn care for this grass is simple because it can grow in sunny and shaded weather conditions. You must be sure that it grows in well-aerated and loose soil that is adequately watered and fertilized.
5. St Augustine Grass
| Scientific Name | Stenotaphrum secundatum |
| Color | Intense-green grass |
| Maintenance Level | Moderate |
| Watering Needs | One inch, can even tolerate salt water |
St Augustine is the classic Texas grass with its ability to withstand shade, drought, and extreme heat. Because it is sensitive to foot traffic, St Augustine can only be planted in lawns and turfs with a little usage.
This grass is the perfect one for a hot Texan blazing summers because it stays green even when the temperatures are 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It is drought-resistant and may last up to four weeks without watering during summer.
This dark green-colored grass has a rough texture when you walk across it. However, when you reach to it and look closely at the grass blades this is when you will notice how they are broad and flat, with one side fine and the other slightly rough. It grows by growing stolons above the ground on which the leaf blades emerge.
St Augustine has excellent shade tolerance and is perfect for lawns where getting direct sunlight is a problem. You need to give it only one inch of water every seven days, and it will thrive. It can even tolerate salt water, but it’s better to use fresh or filtered water. Keep kids or pets from spending much time out on the lawn, or bald patches will begin to appear.
6. Buffalo Grass
| Scientific Name | Bouteloua dactyloides |
| Color | Blue-green colored |
| Maintenance Level | Moderate level of maintenance |
| Watering Needs | Barely half an inch |
Buffalo is the best grass for central Texas heat and drought because of its tough nature and beautiful lush appearance. This grass should only be planted in fancy lawns and turfs where one does not plan on hosting people or kids playing around.
It could be better with traffic while also being expensive to over seed the lawn on a yearly basis because you must maintain the gorgeous feature that it gives. The risk of getting attacked by the weeds is high with this grass.
Buffalo is grass with bright blue-green colored leaves that are slightly curled on the edges. It is a fine grass that grows very densely all over the lawn. On the other hand, when it comes to the lawn care for buffalo is very easy because it will thrive even with half an inch of water per week. You can grow this grass under partial shade, heat, and drought conditions.
Conclusion
The grasses that grow successfully in Texas grow well in warm weather, like Zoysia, Centipede, and Bermuda grass. So far, we have discovered that cool grasses like Kentucky bluegrass cannot grow well in hot Texas:
- Zoysia is an emerald green grass that is expensive but easy to maintain long-term.
- Buffalo is also a beautiful blue-green grass with curled edges that can tolerate shade, heat, and drought.
- St Augustine is another grass that can tolerate up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during summers in Texas.
- These grasses can tolerate both hot weather and conditions of drought during peak summer growth periods.
If you are having trouble choosing the right grass for your house in Texas, this list is an easy answer to help you decide. All these grasses can survive during the harsh conditions that your state is subject to.
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