NC FFA Nursery Landscape CDE | Grasses

Solons

 Modified stems that run above ground horizontally

Ribosomes

Modified Stems that run underground horizontally 

Characteristics of Fescue

Cool-Season, Dark green in color year-round, \~2 Inches Tall, spreads through vertical tillers

Pros of Fescue

Grows well in shade, and dry areas, low maintenance, handles heavy use, great for lawns, green all year long.  

Cons of Fescue

Grows in bunches, not great for seed mixes, prone to thinning 

Fescue

Bermuda

Characteristics of Bermuda

Good for home growing and golf courses because it can tolerate very low mowing heights. Spread by stolons and rhizomes, so it’s thick and dense.

Pros of Bermuda

Deep green and dense

Cons of Bermuda

Requires a lot of water, especially in early growth which makes it highly sensitive.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Characteristics of Kentucky Bluegrass

Dark green, soft,V-shaped,tolerates heavy use and boat shaped leaves.

Used in lawns, athletic fields, golf course fairways, tees, and rough.

Pros of Kentucky Bluegrass

Adapts well to most conditions, and grows in light shade as well as full sun.

Cons of Kentucky Bluegrass

Older varieties are more susceptible to leaf spot and other diseases.

Zoysia

Cons of Zoysia

Very slow growing, browns in cold weather (not usually grown in the north)

Pros of Zoysia

Prefers sun, low water and and maintenance, dense, traffic tolerant. 

Centipede

Characteristics of Centipede

 Warm-season, grows low & horizontal to the ground, spreads through __stolons__, light green, dense, soft

Pros of Centipede

Needs less fertilizer, requires less mowing

Cons of Centipede

Does not grow well in hot, dry areas