Zoysia Grass is a wiry turf grass and dense growth habitat used on sporting fields, golf courses as well as residential installation. Because zoysia will go dormant and turn brown during times of drought supplementary watering is necessary. Most Zoysia cultivars go dormant in winter and turn brown. Zoysia does not have good shade tolerance therefore this sod grass is best for full sun applications.
‘Emerald’
‘Emerald’ zoysia has a fine leaf blade texture and emerald green color. This cultivar grows slowly but has a dense thick growth habitat which will choke out weeds when properly maintained. It has good cold tolerance and withstands extreme heat therefore it is a good candidate for most Florida regions. This grass should not be neglected for any amount of time and is considered a high maintenance turf grass. It is available for sod installation in the Jacksonville and St Augustine areas on 500 Square foot pallets. It is susceptible to excessive thatch, leaf spot and large patch disease.
‘Empire’
‘Empire’ has a dense growth habitat and moderate rate of establishment. This cultivar grows well in sandy and clay soil types and is to be mowed with a standard rotary mower due to its broader leaf and open growth habit. It does not do as well in shade as other zoysia cultivars. ‘Empire’ is available for sod installation in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area on 400 sq ft pallets and sod plugs. It is susceptible to large patch disease and sod webworms.
‘Zenith’
‘Zenith’ zoysia grass is available for sod installation in the Jacksonville and St Augustine areas as well as seed installation. This cultivar is sold on 500 square feet pallets. ‘Zenith’ is dark green and medium textured. Because ‘Zenith’ stays greener longer into fall when compared to other cultivars of zoysia grass it is a better choice for northern Florida lawns.
‘Diamond’
‘Diamond’ zoysia grass is a fine textured zoysia making it a cultivar with excellent salt and shade tolerance. It looks best when mowed at a height less than.5 inches. ‘Diamond’ is an excellent choice for golf courses and residential putting greens. This cultivar is best suited for southern Florida lawns because it has poor cold and shade tolerance. ‘Diamond’ is available for sod installation in the Port St. Lucy Florida area by Super Turf Sod.
‘El Toro’
‘El Toro’ zoysia grass is a dense and aggressive growing sod grass variety. It has a wider leaf blade and medium green color and closely resembles centipede grass. It has excellent wear tolerance and moderate salt tolerance which is why it is a good choice for applications along shorelines. This cultivar has good shade, improved cold tolerance, and improved resistance to rust fungus when compared to other zoysia grass sod installations. ‘El Toro’ has the fastest rate of dormancy recovery than any other zoysia grass. It is a sand based zoysia and has a better rate of success after installation than muck based zoysia grass sod installations. ‘El Toro’ does not require the meticulous maintenance of ‘Emerald’ zoysia grass. It is best maintained at heights between .5 and 1.5 inches. ‘El Toro’ zoysia grass is available for sod installation in Jacksonville and St Augustine sod installation by Jacksonville Sod Service.