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Lawn grass types: 27 grasses compared
Fact sheets for 27 lawn grasses grown in the United States, cool-season and warm-season. Each page shows how to identify the grass, its mowing height, how it handles shade, drought and foot traffic, how and when to plant it and the problems to watch for. Filter by what your yard needs, or compare them all in the table below. Planting soon? See when to plant grass seed by state.
Annual ryegrassLolium multiflorumCool-season · Bunch-type
Chewings fescueFestuca rubra subsp. commutataCool-season · Bunch-type
Colonial bentgrassAgrostis capillarisCool-season · Rhizomes and stolons
Creeping bentgrassAgrostis stoloniferaCool-season · Stolons
Creeping red fescueFestuca rubraCool-season · Rhizomes
Crested wheatgrassAgropyron cristatumCool-season · Bunch-type
Hard fescueFestuca brevipilaCool-season · Bunch-type
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensisCool-season · Rhizomes
Perennial ryegrassLolium perenneCool-season · Bunch-type
Rough bluegrassPoa trivialisCool-season · Stolons
Sheep fescueFestuca ovinaCool-season · Bunch-typeSupina bluegrassPoa supinaCool-season · Stolons
Tall fescueLolium arundinaceumCool-season · Bunch-type
Velvet bentgrassAgrostis caninaCool-season · Stolons
NativeWestern wheatgrassPascopyrum smithiiCool-season · Rhizomes
BahiagrassPaspalum notatumWarm-season · Rhizomes
BermudagrassCynodon dactylonWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolons
NativeBlue gramaBouteloua gracilisWarm-season · Bunch-type
NativeBuffalograssBouteloua dactyloidesWarm-season · Stolons
CarpetgrassAxonopus fissifoliusWarm-season · Stolons
CentipedegrassEremochloa ophiuroidesWarm-season · Stolons
Hybrid bermudagrassCynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensisWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolons
KikuyugrassCenchrus clandestinusWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolons
ManilagrassZoysia matrellaWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolons
NativeSeashore paspalumPaspalum vaginatumWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolons
St. AugustinegrassStenotaphrum secundatumWarm-season · Stolons
ZoysiagrassZoysia japonicaWarm-season · Rhizomes and stolonsCool-season vs warm-season grasses
The first thing to know about a lawn grass is when it grows. Penn State Extension sums it up this way:
| Cool-season grasses | Warm-season grasses | |
|---|---|---|
| Grows most | In cool spring and fall weather | In hot weather |
| Slows down | Can go partly dormant in hot, dry summer spells | Dormant in late fall, winter and early spring |
| In Pennsylvania | Kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, the fine fescues and tall fescue all suit PA. Bentgrasses are mainly for golf greens and courts, not home lawns. | Zoysiagrass is the only one cold-hardy enough to make a good lawn, and only in the southernmost part of the state. |
| On this list | Annual ryegrass, Chewings fescue, Colonial bentgrass, Creeping bentgrass, Creeping red fescue, Crested wheatgrass, Hard fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass, Rough bluegrass, Sheep fescue, Supina bluegrass, Tall fescue, Velvet bentgrass, Western wheatgrass | Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass, Blue grama, Buffalograss, Carpetgrass, Centipedegrass, Hybrid bermudagrass, Kikuyugrass, Manilagrass, Seashore paspalum, St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass |
Source: Penn State Extension: Turfgrass Species for Pennsylvania.
Every grass side by side
Ratings come from the extension and USDA sources on each grass page. A check means those sources rate the grass well for that condition.
| Grass | Season | Spreads by | Mow height | Shade | Drought | Traffic | Low input |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual ryegrass | Cool-season | Bunch-type | 1.5 to 2 in. (UC IPM). | – | – | – | – |
| Chewings fescue | Cool-season | Bunch-type | 2.5 to 4 in. for lawns (Purdue), never under 2 in. Purdue rates Chewings among the best fine fescues for lower mowing. | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Colonial bentgrass | Cool-season | Rhizomes and stolons (short and weak) | 0.5 to 1 in. (UC IPM); Michigan State gives 0.4 to 0.75 in. | – | – | – | – |
| Creeping bentgrass | Cool-season | Stolons | 3/16 to 3/4 in. with proper care (Penn State); UC IPM says 0.5 in. or less. Michigan State notes greens are often kept as low as 0.1 in. and fairways and tees at 0.375 to 0.5 in. | – | – | – | – |
| Creeping red fescue | Cool-season | Rhizomes | 2.5 to 4 in. for lawns (Purdue); always above 2 in. (Penn State). Mow shaded areas 0.5 to 1 in. higher than sunny ones. | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Crested wheatgrass | Cool-season | Bunch-type | Not stated in our sources (no lawn mowing height given). | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Hard fescue | Cool-season | Bunch-type | 2.5 to 4 in. for fine fescue lawns (Purdue), never under 2 in. Purdue rates its close-mowing tolerance only fair, and UC IPM says it is often left unmowed. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science says it does not tolerate cutting below 1 in. | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Kentucky bluegrass | Cool-season | Rhizomes | 1.5 to 2.5 in. (Penn State); stay at 2 in. or higher in hot, humid weather. NC State uses 2.5 to 3.5 in. when it is mixed with tall fescue. | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Perennial ryegrass | Cool-season | Bunch-type | 1.5 to 2.5 in. for lawns (Penn State); 0.75 to 1 in. on golf fairways. | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Rough bluegrass | Cool-season | Stolons | 1.5 to 2.5 in. (Penn State); UC IPM gives 1 to 2.5 in. NC State notes it tolerates mowing below 3/16 in. on golf greens. | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Sheep fescue | Cool-season | Bunch-type | 2.5 to 4 in. for fine fescue lawns (Purdue), never under 2 in. Purdue rates its close-mowing tolerance fair. | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Supina bluegrass | Cool-season | Stolons | 0.75 to 1.5 in. in sun; up to 2.5 in. in heavy shade; 0.5 in. on golf fairways and tees (University of Wisconsin). Mowed too tall, it gets thin and thatchy. | ✓ | – | ✓ | – |
| Tall fescue | Cool-season | Bunch-type (sometimes short rhizomes) | 2 to 3 in. (Penn State). NC State suggests 3 to 3.5 in. and never below 2.5 in. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Velvet bentgrass | Cool-season | Stolons (short; spreads mostly by many upright shoots) | Rutgers trials mowed it at 1/8 in. on greens and 3/8 in. on fairways. It tolerates very close mowing (Michigan State, Rutgers). | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Western wheatgrass | Cool-season | Rhizomes | Not stated in our sources (no lawn mowing height given). | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Bahiagrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes | 3 to 4 in. (UF/IFAS) | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Bermudagrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 5/8 to 2 1/2 in. (NC State); 1 to 2 in. for most home lawns (UF/IFAS) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Blue grama | Warm-season | Bunch-type (a bunchgrass in the southern states; forms a sod in northern states, mountains or under heavy grazing; no stolons) | About 2 in. while a new lawn is filling in; once established, mow only if needed at the mower's highest setting, or leave it unmowed for better drought resistance (Colorado State) | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Buffalograss | Warm-season | Stolons | About 2 in. while a new lawn is filling in; once established, mow only if needed at the mower's highest setting, or leave it unmowed for better drought resistance (Colorado State) | – | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Carpetgrass | Warm-season | Stolons | 2 in., and do not let it pass 2 1/2 in. (NC State); 1.5 to 2.5 in. (UF/IFAS) | ✓ | – | – | ✓ |
| Centipedegrass | Warm-season | Stolons | 1.5 to 2.5 in. (UF/IFAS); 1.5 to 2 in. in UF's species table | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Hybrid bermudagrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 1 to 2 in. for low to moderate care, down to 1/2 in. for high care (UF/IFAS); NC State range 5/8 to 2 1/2 in., best at 3/4 to 1 in. with a reel mower | – | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Kikuyugrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 1 to 1.5 in., mowed often (UC IPM) | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Manilagrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 1 to 2 in. for fine-textured zoysia lawns (Texas A&M); Geo, Zeon and Zorro 0.5 to 2 in.; golf types about 0.25 in. (UF/IFAS) | ✓ | – | ✓ | – |
| Seashore paspalum | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 1 to 2 in. (UGA; UF/IFAS) | – | – | ✓ | – |
| St. Augustinegrass | Warm-season | Stolons | 3.5 to 4 in. for standard cultivars; 2 to 2.5 in. for dwarf cultivars (UF/IFAS) | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Zoysiagrass | Warm-season | Rhizomes and stolons | 1 to 2.5 in. for coarse-textured zoysia (Texas A&M); most cultivars do best near 2 in. with a rotary mower (Clemson) | ✓ | – | ✓ | – |
How to use this guide
1. Pick cool or warm
Cool-season grasses grow most in spring and fall. Warm-season grasses grow most in summer and sit dormant from late fall to spring. Start with the group that fits your climate.
2. Match your yard
Filter by shade, drought, traffic or low input to see which grasses the extension sources rate well for that spot.
3. Check how it’s planted
Some grasses grow from seed; others go in as sod, plugs or sprigs. Each page lists the ways that work and when to plant.
Questions we get about lawn grasses
What is the difference between cool-season and warm-season grass?
It comes down to when the grass grows. Penn State Extension notes that cool-season grasses grow most in cool spring and fall weather and can go partly dormant in hot, dry summers. Warm-season grasses grow most in hot weather and are dormant in late fall, winter and early spring.
What grass grows best in Pennsylvania?
Penn State Extension lists Kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, the fine fescues and tall fescue as cool-season grasses suited to Pennsylvania. Bentgrasses are mainly for golf greens and courts, not home lawns. Zoysiagrass is the only warm-season grass hardy enough to make a good lawn, and only in the southernmost part of the state.
Which lawn grasses grow best in shade?
On this list, the extension sources rate these grasses well for shade: Chewings fescue, creeping red fescue, hard fescue, rough bluegrass, supina bluegrass, tall fescue, velvet bentgrass, carpetgrass, kikuyugrass, manilagrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass. Penn State Extension calls rough bluegrass highly shade tolerant (it likes moist soil) and says the fine fescues also tolerate shade. Kentucky bluegrass does best in open, sunny spots.
Which lawn grasses handle drought best?
On this list, these grasses are rated drought tolerant by the extension sources on their pages: Chewings fescue, creeping red fescue, crested wheatgrass, hard fescue, sheep fescue, tall fescue, velvet bentgrass, western wheatgrass, bahiagrass, bermudagrass, blue grama, buffalograss and hybrid bermudagrass. Penn State Extension calls tall fescue the most heat- and drought-tolerant cool-season lawn grass.
Which grass holds up best to kids, pets and foot traffic?
On this list, these grasses are rated for foot traffic or wear by the extension sources on their pages: Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, supina bluegrass, tall fescue, bermudagrass, hybrid bermudagrass, manilagrass, seashore paspalum and zoysiagrass.
Are any lawn grasses native to the US?
Yes. On this list, these grasses are native to the United States: western wheatgrass, blue grama, buffalograss and seashore paspalum.
When should I plant grass seed?
It depends on the grass and where you live. Each grass page here lists when to plant it, and our guide to when to plant grass seed by state gives the seeding dates for every state.
Related guides: When to plant grass seed by state · Pennsylvania grass seed guide · Weed identification
Lawn thin, soggy or washing out?
In central Pennsylvania, Muthler regrades yards, fixes drainage and builds patios, retaining walls and landscape beds across Clinton, Lycoming, Centre and Union counties. Outside central PA? Groundwork Single Space ($349) is a scaled 2D plan of one area, designed remotely.
Get a free estimateSee landscape designPhotos: Wikimedia Commons contributors, credited on each grass page. Facts for each grass come from the extension and USDA sources listed on its page. Hub sources: Penn State Extension: Turfgrass Species for Pennsylvania. Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
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