Zoysiagrass

What is zoysiagrass?

Zoysiagrass, in this page Zoysia japonica, is a warm-season perennial from Asia that spreads by both stolons and rhizomes. It forms a dense mat that crowds out weeds. Clemson and UF/IFAS call it Japanese or Korean lawngrass, and it is the coarsest and most cold-hardy of the common zoysia lawn species.

Cultivars covered by Clemson and UF/IFAS include Meyer, El Toro, Empire, JaMur, Palisades and the seeded Zenith and Compadre. Finer zoysias, such as Zoysia matrella cultivars (Zeon, Geo, Diamond) and fine hybrids like Emerald, are covered on our manilagrass page.

Zoysia rewards patience. Clemson says plugs can cover in two growing seasons or less with good water and fertilizer, but can take several years without it. Its leaves are high in lignin and silica, which makes mowing harder (UF/IFAS). Once filled in, Oklahoma State says it needs less fertilizer and mowing than bermudagrass, but more water.

How to identify zoysiagrass

Pull up a few shoots and look closely where the leaf blade meets the stem. Here is what to check on zoysiagrass:

• Vernation: Rolled in the bud.
• Ligule: A fringe of hairs.
• Auricles: None.
• Collar: Medium width, covered with long hairs (K-State).
• Leaf blade: About 2 to 4 mm wide, stiff and sharp-pointed, with upright hairs on the upper surface (NC State, K-State, UF/IFAS).
• Sheath: Smooth (UF/IFAS).
• Seedhead: A short spikelet-type head (UF/IFAS).
• Growth habit: Stolons and rhizomes; the spacing between leaves along the runners is more even than in bermudagrass (UF/IFAS).

Where zoysiagrass is grown in the US

Zoysia japonica is the most cold-hardy of the three main zoysia lawn species, according to UF/IFAS, and extension guides from Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Oklahoma and Colorado all cover it. Clemson says zoysia cultivars are adapted statewide in South Carolina and rank among the most cold-tolerant warm-season grasses. NC State says zoysiagrass is best adapted to the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, with cold-hardy cultivars also used in the west of the state.

Oklahoma State lists japonica types such as Meyer and El Toro (sod or plugs) and Zenith and Sunrise (seed) for that state. At the dry, cold edge of its range it struggles: Colorado State does not recommend zoysia there, notes Meyer is the only cultivar with enough cold tolerance, and warns that it turns straw-colored from first fall frost until about May.

Homeowners choose it for a dense, weed-resistant lawn that handles some shade and foot traffic. The trade-offs are slow establishment, tough mowing and a long brown season in cooler areas.

Zoysiagrass pros and cons

Pros

• Dense, weed-resistant turf
• Among the most cold-tolerant warm-season grasses (Clemson)
• Better shade tolerance than bermudagrass
• Good salt and wear tolerance
• Tolerates many pre- and postemergence herbicides (UF/IFAS); any such work is for a licensed applicator using products labeled for that use; the label is the law
• Some cultivars can be seeded

Cons

• Slow to establish
• Hard to mow; dulls blades
• Long brown dormant season
• Thatch builds with excess nitrogen
• Large patch disease, with slow recovery
• Billbugs and possible nematode problems
• Less drought tolerant than bermudagrass

Grasses that look like zoysiagrass

How and when to plant zoysiagrass

Ways to plant: Sod, plugs or sprigs; some cultivars (Zenith, Compadre) by seed. Sod is fastest.

Seeding rate: 1 to 2 lb per 1,000 sq ft (Clemson, for Zenith; New Mexico State also lists 1 to 2 lb).

Germination: 2 to 3 weeks, then 6 to 8 more weeks to establish. Seed needs light; UF/IFAS suggests erosion cloth rather than a soil cover.

When to plant: Late spring to early summer, when air temperatures run about 80 to 95 F (Texas A&M). Late fall sodding or seeding lowers success, dormant sodding can lead to winter kill in north Texas, and UF/IFAS advises against fall seeding in north Florida.

Seeding dates change from state to state. See when to plant grass seed by state, or our Pennsylvania grass seed guide if you are in PA.

How to care for zoysiagrass

Mowing: Mow coarse types at 1 to 2.5 in.; below 1 in. is not advised for home lawns (Texas A&M). Clemson recommends a reel mower, or a rotary mower with sharp blades at about 2 in. Zoysia is hard on blades, so sharpen often. Never remove more than one-third of the height.

Watering: Water deep and infrequently, only as needed; Texas A&M says early morning is generally best. Clemson: let the lawn dry, then apply 3/4 to 1 in. Frequent light watering grows shallow roots. Texas A&M turns irrigation off in winter except in south Texas, very dry western soils, sandy soils and new plantings.

Fertilizing: Feed 1 to 3 lb N per 1,000 sq ft per year, no more than 1 lb of quick-release N at once. Start after the lawn has been mowed twice in spring and stop 4 to 6 weeks before your first frost (Texas A&M). Clemson adds potassium with each nitrogen feeding. Avoid early-spring and late-fall nitrogen to limit large patch (UF/IFAS).

Nitrogen per year: 1 to 3 lb N per 1,000 sq ft per year (Texas A&M). Florida: 2 to 3 lb (north), 2 to 4 lb (central), 2.5 to 4.5 lb (south) (UF/IFAS).

Overseeding: Zoysia is usually repaired with sod or plugs. Clemson says seeding is difficult and slow, and only Z. japonica cultivars such as Zenith and Compadre are sold as seed. Plugs 2 in. wide on 6-in. centers can cover in two growing seasons or less with good care.

Thatch: Builds over time, especially with too much nitrogen. Dethatch when it passes 1/2 in., in spring or early summer while the grass is growing (Texas A&M). Z. japonica needs dethatching less often than manilagrass.

Common zoysiagrass problems

If a pesticide is needed, use only products labeled for that use; the label is the law. If you hire someone to treat a lawn, make sure they hold your state’s pesticide applicator license; see our pesticide applicator license guide. To put a name to a lawn weed, use our weed identification guide.

Questions we get about zoysiagrass

Similar lawn grasses

BermudagrassCynodon dactylonManilagrassZoysia matrellaBahiagrassPaspalum notatum