Cover Story
Zoysiagrasses: An Update
By Tom Samples and John Sorochan, University of Tennessee, Department of Plant Sciences
Z
oysiagrass, one of the earliest grass species to be used as turf, is native to Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the Philippines where the weather varies greatly depending on season. This relatively slow-growing, sod-forming and warm-season species forms a durable, uniform turf in full sun and light, open shade. Many zoysiagrass varieties produce no viable seeds and must be established from sod, plugs or sprigs. Depending on the planting date, sprigging rate, and plug diameter and spacing, the vegetatively propagated varieties often require more than a year to totally cover the soil surface. Leaves and stems developing from nodes on stolons and rhizomes usually
grow upright at an angle of about 90 degrees, a trait contributing to very good to excellent stand density. Zoysiagrass leaves are often stiff and stems are very tough due to high levels of lignin and hemicellulose. These attributes result in excellent wear tolerance. The slow rate of growth of lateral stems compared to that of bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass causes zoysiagrass turfs to take longer to recover from damage from traffic, disease or insect activity. Generally, zoysiagrasses have very good drought, heat and salinity tolerance. The nitrogen (N) requirement of the species is usually lower than that of bermudagrass. In TN, an annual N rate of no more than 2 lbs.
Bermudagrass Stolon
Zoysiagrass Rhizomes
Meyer zoysiagrass sod
Zoysiagrass rhizomes and bermudagrass stolon
Photo credit Dr. Frank Hale
Photo credit: Dr. Alan Windham
Hunting billbug larva.
Large patch disease on zoysiagrass.
14 | Virginia Turfgrass Journal March/April 2019 www.vaturf.org
Thatch layer in zoysiagrass
Countries in which zoysiagrass is native
