Warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, buffalograss, and St. Augustinegrass perform best in southern Utah’s mild, dry climate.
These grasses make beautiful lawns, but they vary in their ability to tolerate shade, drought, and other stresses. It’s important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each type to choose one that suits your lifestyle and preferences.
Bermudagrass: Handles heavy foot traffic
Bermudagrass thrives in the warm and dry climate of southern Utah. This warm-season grass spreads by rhizomes and can self-repair. It’s so durable that you can even play a soccer match on it. Bermudagrass looks beautiful with coarse-textured, medium-green leaves and grows vigorously from late spring to summer.
This grass grows best in full sun and requires regular watering. We recommend overseeding Bermudagrass with Kentucky bluegrass at a 75:25 ratio to help it retain some of its color during the winter.
Check out our guide for more on growing Bermudagrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| Looks beautiful Germinates quickly Spreads quickly Withstands foot traffic Excellent ability to self-repair Resists drought Resists diseases | Loses its color during winter Doesn’t tolerate shade Susceptible to pests Coarse texture Requires frequent mowing and fertilization |
Grass Seed Options:
– Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass (10 lbs.)
– Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass (50 lbs.)
Zoysiagrass: Resists diseases well
Zoysiagrass withstands cold better than other warm-season grasses, making it an excellent choice for Cedar City, Enoch, and Beaver, where the climate is on the cooler side. This warm-season grass resists common lawn diseases like brown patch, leaf spot, and dollar spot. It looks gorgeous with emerald-green blades and grows vigorously from late spring to summer.
This warm-season grass withstands foot traffic relatively well but takes time to recover from damage, even though it spreads by rhizomes. Zoysiagrass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Be sure to water the grass regularly to keep it in good shape.
Check out our guide for more on growing Zoysiagrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| Looks beautiful Germinates quickly Withstands drought Soft underfoot Low fertilizer and maintenance needs Resists diseases and insects | Loses its color during winter Takes time to self-repair Spreads slowly |
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)
– Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)
– Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds (1/8 lb. of seeds)
Buffalograss: Easy to maintain
From St. George to Hurricane to Enoch, buffalograss performs well throughout southern Utah. It requires only two inches of water every 2 to 4 weeks. This warm-season grass has gray-green, curly blades. We recommend overseeding it with Kentucky bluegrass at a 50:50 ratio to make your lawn more appealing. This grass grows vigorously from late spring to early summer.
Buffalograss spreads by rhizomes and can withstand regular foot traffic. However, if you plan to use your lawn extensively, we recommend Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass. This grass grows best in full sun.
Check out our guide for more on growing buffalograss.
| Pros | Cons |
| Germinates quickly Spreads quickly Withstands drought Soft underfoot Low fertilizer and maintenance needs Resists diseases and insects | Curly grass doesn’t look very attractive Loses its color during winter Doesn’t withstand high-foot traffic Takes time to self-repair |
Grass Seed Options:
– Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds (1 lb. of seeds)
St. Augustinegrass: Resists shade well
St. Augustinegrass requires minimal watering, making it an excellent choice for southern Utah. This grass should be your go-to choice if you have large trees in your yard because it resists shade better than other warm-season grasses. St. Augustinegrass looks beautiful with coarse-textured, blue-green leaves. It grows vigorously from late spring to early summer.
This warm-season grass spreads by stolons and doesn’t withstand high-foot traffic. St. Augustinegrass grows fast, so you need to mow often to keep it in good shape.
Check out our guide for more on growing St. Augustinegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| Looks beautiful Germinates quickly Spreads quickly Crowds out weeds Withstands drought | Loses its color during winter Doesn’t withstand high-foot traffic Takes time to self-repair Requires frequent mowing and fertilization |
Grass Plug Options:
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
– Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs (2 Trays)
When to hire a professional
Need help choosing the right grass? Lawn Love pros can help. We can also help you with regular lawn maintenance and everything in between.
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Main Image Credit: Ken Lund | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
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