Its low maintenance requirements make it a highly sought after grass for homeowners, but it is not as shade tolerant as some of the finer-bladed zoysias. Casey Reynolds, PhD Latin Name: Zoysia sp. It has an attractive green color and is easily mowed with a rotary mower. Learn to take the best possible care of your lawn and garden by subscribing to our weekly Sod University newsletter or by referring to our installation, establishment and maintenance guides. Once your new lawn is rooted follow the chart below. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Rhizomes strike new roots downward into the soil and also shoot stems upwards. Unlike Zenith Zoysia, Emerald Zoysia falls under the cultivars of fine-textured Zoysiagrass. It also has an improved cold tolerance and a better cool-season color. If youre debating between the two, youre in the right place, so continue reading to learn more! Sometimes it is referred to as the "cadillac" of turf. There are 168 pieces of grass on a full pallet. Aesthetically, Innovation is a fine-bladed, appealing, dark green zoysia grass with a soft feel. This typically means state certification of the turf growing company to produce and sell the zoysia grass as sprigs or sod. It has good shade tolerance, but lacks good cold tolerance. Empire" plants develop a deep green color with more widely-spaced blades, almost to the visual texture of a fine St. Augustine grass. SKU: SOD044 Category: Sod Tag: Sod Sales Product. The longest spread of stolons was greater in "Zeon" which suggests a more irregular spread of stems on the soil surface than "Empire." It grows well on all soil types, and has average shade tolerance. It has a rapid spread by stolons/rhizomes and has a deep, thick root structure. Lay the sod on bare, moist soil; then roll the sod after it has been laid. The blade density is much higher than other grasses, giving a very dense, carpet-like, or "hedgehog" appearance. The wider-bladed zoysias are considered very good with wear tolerance and injury recovery. This is the zoysia often advertised as the super grass in newspapers and magazines. Zoysia is awarm season varietynative to southeastern and eastern areas of continental Asia such as Japan, Korea and China. Zeon shows good shade and drought tolerance, as well as tolerance to wet growing conditions. I highly recommended purchasing seed fromZoysia Farms. This means the grass expands sideways and spreads, rather than growing taller and requiring more mowing time. Sod Solutions works with private breeders and university researchers across the globe to find and bring to market the best grasses with the best genetics on the planet. Our seasonal Homeowner Maintenance Guides compile all the care information for your specific grass type during the spring, summer and fall. The best Zoysiagrass for your lawn hinges on a few factors. Here's a quick St. Augustine grass vs Zoysia comparison table: These two grass species can be differentiated by various aspects including: Color of lawn During the active growth season, depending on the type of Zoysia grass, it can have a emerald-green, light green, or dark green appearance. 'El Toro' grows rapidly and has leaf width similar to 'Meyer'. Both zoysiagrass and fescue should be mown to a height of 1". The most cold tolerant of Zoysia grass, Meyer is the top pick for northern regions in Georgia where some snow may come. 'Meyer' has a wider leaf than 'Emerald' and has good cold tolerance. to care for this variety over another. Of course, the specific variety of Zoysia may effect how beneficial it is in your given lawn, golf course or other locale, but overall, the grass is an excellent choice for practically anywhere in Georgia. If at all possible, provide your Zoysia with some aeration during May. Water requirements for this Zoysia hybrid are low to average, and the grass shows a particular dislike to being over-fertilised, which is . According to Phillip Jennings Turf Farm in Soperton, Georgia, "Empire" was selected by turf horticulturists in Brazil. CitraZoy requires less mowing as it doesnt have to be kept as short as other finer-bladed zoysia cultivars in order to perform its best. Empire Zoysia grass is a medium-bladed, dark green Zoysia grass. Innovation also performs better in the transition zone than Geo Zoysia, which we talk about farther down in this article. Zoysias have a thick, soft carpet with a stronger, medium-thick grass blade that produces a soft feel. Take a look at some of our top recommended products for these lawn diseases. EMPIRE performs well in sandy and clay type soils throughout the southern U.S. and has tough runners, rhizomes and deep roots that provide excellent sod strength, wearability and improved drought tolerance. Most zoysiagrass varieties grow very slowly as compared to other grasses, and usually are established by sodding or plugging. St. Augustines have a much thicker blade than zoysia grasses. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Zoysias typically rank higher in wear tolerance and injury recovery than St. Augustines. This zone has more success with cool-season grasses than warm-season, but sometimes a mixture of the two is necessary. Knowing which types of diseases these two grasses are more susceptible to will really help in preventing and treating any future outbreaks that may occur. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. There are other zoysiagrass cultivars better adapted to shade and I would not recommend Emerald for lawns that receive less than 6 hours of filtered to intermittent shade in a day during the growing season. How Do I Fix Bare or Brown Spots in My Lawn? Although seed is available, this grass is usually established through sodding or plugging. This fine-textured hybrid is widely considered one of the most attractive zoysia. Potassium tends to leach readily from sandy soils, and is very important for cold weather hardiness. Be sure to read each label thoroughly before application. The hybrid Emerald resembles a matrella in texture and shoot density but is more cold hardy because of its japonica cross. Here is a great article on them. As always, when using a chemical, be sure to read and follow all guidelines on the product label. Geo Zoysia requires a little more maintenance than that of other zoysias, but it will make your lawn the best looking in the neighborhood. Zoysia grass is highly preferred by lawn owners, golf courses, and other high traffic areas for several reasons. Meyer has a wider leaf than Emerald and has good cold tolerance. The grass will go semi-dormant during drought and will go fully dormant in cool weather, so skipping the mowing then. Emerald Zoysia is the cadillac of lawn grasses. Zoysia grasses are warm-season grasses native to southern Asia that are popular as lawns in modern America. St. Augustines, however, are more prone to pests likechinch bugs,white grub worms,sod webwormsorfall armywormsthat love to feed on the grass blades and roots. Emerald zoysia is a fine-textured hybrid zoysia that is one of the most attractive of the zoysia grasses. It makes an excellent residential turfgrass and has moderate to good shade tolerance. It was developed to provide the landscape industry with a superior fine-bladed zoysia with increased shade tolerance, low incidence of thatch production and an accelerated spread rate. There are three main types of soil: sandy, clay and loamy soil. Zeon has extremely low maintenance and fertility requirements. Zoysia grass is also unique in that it thrives in cooler temperatures, 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below, and not in the heat. They should germinate. This zoysia grass variety is hardy, yet attractive, has a very good shade tolerance and is easy to maintain. Emerald zoysia has less winter hardiness, but more shade tolerance than Meyer. It is well-suited for quality lawns where regular maintenance and care is provided. Zeon Zoysiagrass is an excellent choice from the Zoysia family for shady lawns. Shade Tolerance. Gary Forrester, Horticulture Extension Agent, Horry County Extension Service, Clemson University. Do you love your home landscape as much as we do? Home Compadre zoysiagrass is available as seed. This special sod gives you a nice carpet of grass that offers a variety of benefits. Durable Turfgrass is much more durable than standard grass. In the south, Compadre has good shade tolerance while in the cooler areas it needs more sun. For example, if you really like zoysia grass but live in an area that may endure periods of drought, EMPIRE Zoysia is a great pick. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. Zorro has excellent fall color retention and is an ideal choice for the southern parts of the United States. Although both grasses can encounter many different fungus outbreaks, the ones zoysias most frequently experience are brown spot, rust and leaf spot. "Empire" plants develop a deep green color with more widely-spaced blades, almost to the visual texture of a fine St. Augustine grass. It has very good to excellent drought tolerance, excellent heat tolerance, and excellent cold hardiness. Sodding will also help to reduce the weed population typically will occur in the bare spots between plugs. All zoysias spread viarhizomes and stolons. Zoysiagrass can be difficult to mow due to its thickness and leaf composition. She enjoys writing about plants, animals, travel, and the outdoors in general, applying her knowledge as a professional pet sitter and hobby gardener to her writing. The blade density is much higher than other grasses, giving a very dense, carpet-like, or "hedgehog" appearance. Within this species there are two primary families with differing leaf textures, the Meyer family and the Emerald Family. El Toro will withstand heavy foot traffic and grows rapidly in hot temperatures. From fertilizer to disease control, our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and tools to ensure you have the best looking lawn on the block. It also has an extended fall color and earlier spring green-up while offering a level of shade tolerance found in the finer bladed varieties. Grass plugs are a great tool for repairing damaged areas of the lawn or to establish a lawn when sod or seed is not available or practical. Zoysia will perform well in all three of these soils whereas St. Augustine performs best in loamy and sandy soils. Potassium should be applied whenever nitrogen is applied, including additional potassium applications on sandy soils during rainy years. InnovationZoysiais a newer, more versatile zoysia grass developed by researchers at Kansas State University and Texas A&M University. Related products. Go for a slow-release nitrogen food and follow instructions for best results. Its the first zoysia to demonstrate improved tolerance to large patch when compared to Meyer Zoysia in side-by-side plantings. It has a medium-fine texture and a dark green color. There are a genus of eight species named after Austrian botanist Karl von Zois, and three of the different species are common in the United States. EMPIRE Zoysia Characteristics: Ideal Use: Home lawns with 6-8 hours of sunlight, golf, parks and commercial landscapes. EMPIRE Zoysia is a patented and trademarked product of Sod Solutions, Inc. Quick Links. For example, if you live in the northern portion of the transitional zone, Emerald Zoysia might not do so well since it isnt as cold-tolerant. Innovation demonstrates a faster establishment grow-in and damage recovery rate than Meyer. Here Larry O'Neil explains the differences in Empire and. shade). Drought tolerance is the ability to survive a drought. "Zeon" grass plants maintain a dark green color reminiscent of fescue as well as a similar fine, dense and compact texture like that of Bermuda grass. Water the newly seeded lawn very lightly three or four times per day to keep the seed moist for best germination. Zoysia grasses are generally slower growing than Bermuda and St. Augustine, with Emerald Zoysia being one of the slowest growing Zoysia grasses. Copyright 2023 Clemson UniversityClemson Cooperative Extension | 103 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634864-986-4310 | 1-888-656-9988 (SC residents only) | Contact UsHGIC@clemson.edu, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program. This zoysia has a moderate cold tolerance and can be damaged by hard freezes and is not hardy in transition zones. It has a higher resistance for insects and disease compared to other warm season grasses. It can also be mowed using a standard rotary type machine. read on for more information about the different zoysia sod types. Zenith is planted in late spring to early summer with a seeding rate of 1 to 2 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet. Blade-width: 5-7mm Color: Blue-Green Very Soft Feel Very Good Wear Tolerance Mow Height: 1-2 inches. With Brazilian origins, "Empire" also has exceptional tolerance to heat and summer humidity, such as in the American Southeast. JaMur is a medium-coarse textured zoysiagrass that thrives well in a home lawn environment. Flooding is tolerated, but constant saturation will eventually weaken the grass. Pictured above from left to right: Innovation Zoysia and CitraBlue St. Augustine. My name is Matt, and I am the founder of Obsessed Lawn. Each option has its ups and downs and is better suited to different situations. This type of grass features a medium-coarse leaf texture and is widely available as a seed. Once its established and growing well, it only needs to be watered when visible signs of dehydration show up. They are usually better than zoysias at choking out weeds for this reason. Innovation was developed to improve upon the industry standard, Meyer, which was released in 1952 and is widely used for its excellent cold hardiness in the transition zone. Leisure Time zoysia is a relatively new cultivar that is promoted to be tolerant of shade, heat, cold and drought. Zoysiagrass (Zoysia species) was introduced into the United States from Asia and grows best during the warm (80 to 95 F) months of spring, summer and early fall. Pictured above from left to right: Zorro, El Toro, Palisades and Meyer Zoysia. ". The majority of lawns planted with zoysiagrass are planted with one of the cultivars from Zoysia japonica. Palisades zoysia has a medium-coarse leaf texture with an upright growth habit. The grass thrives in spring to early autumn, enjoying that hot, humid climate, and doesnt need shade. They also recover better from dethatching and lower mowing heights. Insect Identification Both zoysia and St. Augustine grasses are pretty shade tolerant compared to other turfgrass varieties. Do you love your home landscape as much as we do? Empire zoysiagrass is a medium coarse-bladed cultivar that has a soft to touch feel. A zoysiagrass lawn is considered a high maintenance turf, as is bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass. Check them out:Zoysia Farms. When left unmowed, it forms a humpy convoluted surface which is sometimes used in oriental landscapes. Overall, The Turf Grass Group comments that the stolons of "Zeon" are consistently short and dense, causing less thatch build-up from mowings across the growing season. Sodding zoysiagrass is the preferred method of lawn establishment as it will give you an instant lawn. EMPIRE Turf is a Zoysia grass that has truly raised the bar for warm season turf grass. Orders| 3 pallet minimum - No Sod Stored On Site Call Us (404) 631-7610 Email Us Get a Quote Now! It generally has sufficient winter hardiness and is suitable for sports fields, fairways, tee boxes and home lawns. It is susceptible to nematode damage and is discouraged where nematodes are a problem (typically nematode problems are more common in sandy soils). Root depth varies between Zoysia and Bermuda grass, and Zoysia roots only generally grow 2 feet deep. However, it may require several years to cover if not properly maintained. Pictured above from left to right: Zoysia japonica, Zoysia matrella and Zoysia tenuifolia. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. He has worked professionally at gardens in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Zoysia tenuifolia: This zoysiagrass will form small clumps giving it a somewhat puffy appearance. Emerald Zoysia is a very slow growing lawn grass. This grass has a slower vertical growing rate, making it great for homeowners looking for less mowing requirements. Additionally, EMPIRE is highly tolerant of most herbicides making it easier to control weeds during production and for the end user. Spot, rust and leaf spot warm-season grasses native empire zoysia vs emerald zoysia southern Asia that are popular lawns... Type of grass on a few factors establishment as it will give you an lawn. 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