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Zoysiagrass

Zoysiagrass or zoysiagrasses or zoysia (common names) include several species of the genus Zoysia which is native to east Asia from Korea and Japan to China, and as far south as Malaysia. Zoysia is a C4 (warm-season), sod-forming grass used occasionally in lawns and high visibility areas in North America, particularly in the transition area from Maryland to Tennessee, and south to the Gulf Coast, and the Mediterranean climate areas of southern California. In South Florida it does best in marly soils of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Zoysiagrass is common throughout the West Indies. Zoysiagrasses are the main turfgrass of Hawaii.

Zoysia spreads by rhizomes (below-ground runners) and stolons (above-ground) but over time the rhizomes accumulate in a thick mat. While zoysia is slow to establish, once it gets established, it is hard to remove because of the build-up of rhizomes. It is resistant to some grass herbicides that kill other warm-season turfgrasses.

Species such as Zoysia matrella, Zoysia japonica, Zoysia tenuifolia and their interspecific hybrids are represented by cultivars Meyer (Z-52), Emerald, El Toro, Empire, and the finest texture types such as templegrass or manilagrass. In North America zoysiagrasses are used primarily in lawns and limited areas on golf courses. Despite good wear tolerance, the slower growth and recovery rate of zoysia makes it less suitable for high intensity areas such as sports fields and golf courses than bermudagrass.

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