Grass Varieties
Turf grasses can be separated into two major groups, depending on their temperature tolerance. Warm season grasses grow best in subtropical or tropical climates, flourishing in temperatures of 26-35°C (79-95°F), whilst cool season grasses grow mainly in a temperate climate, preferring temperatures of 15-24°C (59-75°F). Thus, cool-season grasses should be planted in the UK, as although some warm-season species can be grown satisfactorily, they will turn brown during winter as they become dormant.
Cool Season Grasses
Cool season grass species include bents (Agrostis), fescues (Festuca), meadow grasses (also known as blue grasses, Poa) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and are grown throughout the UK, Northern Europe, North America, and other regions with similar climates.
Bents
- Low-growing
- The most tolerant of all grasses of close mowing
Fescues
- Hard-wearing
- Fine-leaved
- May be cut low
- Some species will grow in poor soils
Meadow Grasses
- Resistant to wear
- Coarse leaves
- Cannot be mown very low
Ryegrass
- Extremely hard-wearing
- Coarse-textured
- Tolerates most soils, including heavy clay
- Does not like to be closely mown
Cool-season grasses are usually sown as mixtures of more than one species, as this improves the overall colour of and its disease resistance.
Warm Season Grasses
Warm season grass species include the various species and cultivars of St Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), Bermuda grass (Cynodon) and zoysia grasses (Zoysia), which occur naturally in tropical and subtropical regions, including South America, Africa, and Asia.
They are usually grown as a single species as they have a strong, creeping habit and do not mix well together, forming unattractive patches of differing texture and colour. They become dormant and lose their colour at temperatures below 10°C (50°F), which can be problematic in areas with very hot summers and cold winters. In these cases, cool-season grasses, such as fescues and ryegrasses, can be oversown in autumn to improve the colour of the lawn in winter.
