Centipedegrass -
Eremochloa ophiuroides |
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Hardiness
Warm-Season Grass
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Light
Full sun |
Soil
Tolerates poor soil conditions. Thrives in sandy, acid soils with low fertility
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Water
Does best with regular water |
Habit
Coarse-textured, short, upright stems. Low and slow growing, spreads by stolons forming a dense turf
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Maintenance
Low |
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Comments:
Centipedegrass is a coarse-textured, light green grass that spreads by stolons. This grass is sometimes called "lazy man's grass" because its slow growth rate means less mowing and low maintenance.
It needs less mowing than other grasses and it adapts well to poor soil, and resists chinch bugs and brown patch disease. It is also aggressive enough to crowd out weeds.
It makes a great general-purpose lawn in the warm humid climates like the Southeast, the Carolinas, and the Gulf Coast.
Centipedegrass has shallow roots, so it has no real drought tolerance and often is the first warm-season grass to turn brown in hot, dry spells, and goes dormant when cold. New varieties however, have been developed with better drought and cold tolerance, make sure to ask when purchasing.
Centipedegrass will not tolerate lots of foot traffic, and is slow to recover when damaged. It does not tolerate salt spray, so not a good choice for beach areas. In alkaline soils, it will need more iron (such as iron sulfate) to prevent yellowing. It is especially subject to decline from over fertilization and watering.
This grass thrives in full sunlight, and because it does not go dormant in the winter, it's very sensitive to subfreezing temperatures and best suited to areas with mild winters.
Centipede grass does best in warm humid climates with annual rainfall of over 40 inches (102 cm) per year and does not survive in areas where subfreezing temperatures are common. Centipede grass is best when used alone. Do not mix it with other grasses.
Unique qualities:
Poor cold and drought tolerance
Does not like excessive nitrogen
Poor grass for activities
Excellent for low-maintenance turf areas
Optimum Mowing Height: 2 to 3.5 inches (5 to 8.9 cm) for best turf
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Grass Types | Warm Season Grasses | Bahiagrass | Blue Gramagrass | Buffalograss
Centipedegrass | Bermudagrass | St. Augustinegrass | Zoysiagrass
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