So, you want a beautiful lawn in Florida?

Between dry and wet seasons, steady warm temperatures, and a humid subtropical climate, Florida is a unique state. Of course, this makes lawn care much different from most places across the United States, as grass cultivars commonly used in the north usually can’t survive in the south. While our Florida branches can work with your lawn as much as possible, sometimes it comes down to location and elements that need to match your grass’s type. So, without further ado, here are Home Paramount’s top six recommendations for grasses to beautify your Florida lawn.

1. St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine Grass is the most hardy and common South Florida cultivar. If you live in an area that often gets heavy droughts or near the salty ocean and brackish lagoons, St. Augustine grass is one of the best options. From its strong tolerance to drought and its incredible tolerance to salt, this grass can become distinguished with great ease on your lawn. As for the cons, it does need to be watered regularly during droughts, it doesn’t hold up well in high-traffic areas, and it can be susceptible to pests and fungal diseases. Nothing your local Home Paramount Pest Control can’t handle!

2. Bermuda Grass

Looking for a grass that’s less coarse and can withstand heavy traffic? The Bermuda grass is here for you! A relatively strong grass that’s commonly used on golf courses, this one grows low and dense, making it drought-resistant and low maintenance, as well as insect and disease tolerant. It also establishes rather quickly and is relatively cheap to purchase. On the downside, it does need to be watered more regularly than the others.

3. Bahiagrass

If you’re in an area that gets heavy droughts and you can’t afford to water your lawn regularly, Bahiagrass is a great alternative to St. Augustine grass. On top of being tolerant to droughts and low maintenance, Bahiagrass is resistant to insect damage and diseases, as well as tolerant to heavy traffic, heat, and the sun. Unfortunately, there are a few cons to consider with a highly resistant and tolerant grass, including slow growth, low tolerance to colder months, and its requirement for direct sunlight. A great fit for patient lawn owners in South Florida!

4. Centipede Grass

Find yourself living in an area that’s relatively quiet and prefer a low maintenance grass? Centipede grass may be your match. With extremely low maintenance and low nutrients needed, this grass does well in the shade, heat, humidity, and sun. Just be mindful that this grass prefers low traffic, is less tolerant of salt, and can grow relatively slower than the rest.

5. Buffalo Grass

If none of the above grasses are lush enough for your perfect lawn’s needs, perhaps the Buffalo grass is your ultimate choice. Being the only grass here that can withstand extreme temperatures, Buffalo grass does so while looking beautiful with a fine, lush texture. On top of all that, it’s also tolerant of drought, can survive stress and damage, and doesn’t need to be fertilized or watered frequently. This grass can easily grow out of hand, however, so periodic mowing and edging is important, and it doesn’t handle heavy traffic very well either.

6. Zoysia Grass

While Buffalo grass is great for a less-touched lawn, if you want a grass that’s soft on the feet and can handle being stampeded by children, guests, or pets, then Zoysia grass, often called the barefoot grass, is what you’ve been looking for! Not only is Zoysia grass soft and durable, it is also hardy and salt tolerant, does not require frequent mowing or watering, handles sun and light shade, and is tolerant of heat and drought. It is a fickle grass when it comes to cutting and Zoysia grass doesn’t handle cool weather very well, but will grow back once it begins to warm up. Not too much of a problem in South Florida!

Many options for growing your optimal lawn in Florida exist and there are more points to be aware of with each grass choice, such as soil type, soil chemistry, location, and more, but hopefully now you can see how diverse your options are for making that perfect lawn. Worried that you won’t have the time to keep your grass looking beautiful or is your lawn under attack from pests already? Our Home Paramount Florida team in Orlando and Stuart are ready to help. Whether you need to eliminate pesky bugs, weeds, or just want a greener look, give us a call today and get a free estimate that will make both you and your lawn happy!