- Origin of Warm-Season Grasses<\/a>
- St. Augustinegrass<\/a><\/li>
- Bermudagrass<\/a><\/li>
- Bahiagrass <\/a><\/li>
- Centipedegrass<\/a><\/li>
- Buffalograss <\/a><\/li>
- Zoysiagrass<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Origin of Cool-Season Grasses<\/a>
- Kentucky bluegrass<\/a><\/li>
- Fine fescue<\/a><\/li>
- Tall fescue <\/a><\/li>
- Perennial ryegrass <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- FAQ about where grass seed comes from<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Origin of Warm-Season Grasses<\/span><\/h2>
St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"St.](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/St.-Augustine.jpeg\")
Forest & Kim Starr<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> St. Augustinegrass<\/a> is native to the West Indies, the Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa. It\u2019s been used to build turf in Florida and along the Atlantic coast since about the 1890s. You also can find it in most Mediterranean and Caribbean areas.<\/p>
That\u2019s some well-traveled grass seed!<\/p>
Grass Plug Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Seed Ranch St Augustine Seville Grass Plugs<\/a> (2 Trays)
\u2013 Seed Ranch St Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs<\/a> (2 Trays)<\/p>Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"bermudagrass\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bermudagrass.jpg\")
rawpixel<\/a> | CC0<\/figcaption><\/figure> Native to Europe, Africa, Australia, and most of Asia, it\u2019s thought that bermudagrass<\/a> was brought over to the United States from Africa in the 18th century. Historians believe it may have snuck onto ships with contaminated hay used for slave bedding. It was recognized in the colonies as an excellent grass seed to handle heavy traffic \u2013 and in the days of horse and buggy, that was just as important as it is now!<\/p>
Bermudagrass has been used in lawns and golf courses since the 1920s. It\u2019s just a hardy type of grass.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 <\/strong>Pennington Bermudagrass Bare Spot<\/a> (5 lb. bag)
\u2013 Pennington Smart Seed Bermudagrass Mix<\/a> (8.75-lb. bag)
\u2013 Scotts Turf Builder Bermudagrass<\/a> (10-lb. bag)
\u2013 Hancock Seed Co. Bermudagrass<\/a> (50-lb. bag)<\/p>Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"bahia](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/bahiagrass.jpg\")
Forest and Kim Starr<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Native to South America, bahiagrass<\/a> is widely found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay<\/a>. It came to the United States from Brazil in 1913 or 1914 (the date differs across extension pages) as a pasture grass for the Southeast. Additional varieties better suited for growing as turf were introduced in the following centuries.<\/p>
Argentine and Pensacola are the two Bahia varieties commonly grown by homeowners as turf.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options <\/strong>
Pensacola Bahiagrass:
\u2013 Scotts Turf Builder Pensacola Bahiagrass<\/a> (5 lb. bag)
\u2013 SeedRanch Pensacola Bahiagrass Seed<\/a> (10 lb. bag)
\u2013 Hancock Seed Co. Pensacola Bahiagrass Seed<\/a> (50 lb. bag)
Argentine Bahiagrass:
\u2013 Scotts Turf Builder Argentine Bahiagrass<\/a> (10 lb. bag)<\/p>Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"centipedegrass\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/centipedegrass.jpg\")
Michael Rivera<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Centipedegrass<\/a> is commonly found in the Southeast from South Carolina to Florida and westward along the Gulf to Texas, but it started as an import from south China at the turn of the 20th century. In 1916, centipede seed was found in the baggage of USDA plant explorer Frank Meyer<\/a> after he disappeared on his fourth trip to China. <\/p>
All the centipedegrass found today in the US came from just three little sprigs of grass scientists grew on a farm.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 <\/strong>Gulf Kist Coated Centipedegrass Seeds<\/a> (1 lb.)
\u2013 Scotts EZ Seed Patch and Repair Centipedegrass<\/a> (3.75 lbs.)
\u2013 TifBlair Centipedegrass<\/a> (5-lb. bag)
\u2013 Pennington Centipedegrass and Mulch<\/a> (5-lb. bag)<\/p>Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Buffalograss\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/3139246071_47110d3ef9_c-1.jpg\")
John Tann<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Buffalograss<\/a> is the only common turfgrass grown in the United States that doesn\u2019t come from another country! This perennial grass is native to our own Great Plains, spanning from Montana to Mexico. Not surprisingly, it gets its name from its essential role in supporting the magnificent herds of buffalo that once roamed the plains.<\/p>
While it isn\u2019t as important to the buffalo anymore, it\u2019s still essential to landscaping nationwide. It\u2019s one of the rare turfgrasses that can handle all climates.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:<\/strong>
\u2013 <\/strong>Everwilde Farms Buffalograss Seeds<\/a> (1 lb. of seeds)
\u2013 Buffalograss seed (primed)<\/a> (5-lb. bag)<\/p>Zoysiagrass (Zoysia <\/em>spp.)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"zoysiagrass\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/zoysiagrass.jpg\")
Forest & Kim Starr<\/a> | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Zoysiagrass<\/a> was named after an 18th-century amateur Austrian botanist, Karl von Zois. It has grown as turf in Japan since at least the 12th century, so it has a lengthy history. <\/p>
Zoysia japonica<\/em> was brought to the US in 1895 from China\u2019s Manchurian Province. Zoysia matrella came to the United States in 1911 from Manila by C. V. Piper, a USDA botanist. In the early 1950s, Zoysia types were released from the USDA and became available commercially for seed production.<\/p>
Grass Plug and Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (50 Large Grass Plugs)
<\/a>\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (50 Full & Lush Grass Plugs)<\/a>
\u2013 Zoysia Plugs (100 Plugs)<\/a>
\u2013 Zoysia Emerald Grass Seeds<\/a> (1\/8 lb. of seeds)
\u2013 Zenith Zenith Grass Seeds<\/a> (1\/8 lb. of seeds)<\/p>Origin of Cool-Season Grasses<\/span><\/h2>
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Kentucky](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Kentucky-bluegrass.jpg\")
JeanUrsula<\/a> | Canva Pro | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Bluegrass may conjure up thoughts of banjos, but this type of bluegrass has a different kind of groove. Native to most of Europe, North Asia, and the Moroccan and Algerian mountains, Kentucky bluegrass<\/a> came with European settlers to the United States and followed them around as they settled in different parts of the country. <\/p>
It\u2019s called Kentucky bluegrass because Kentucky is where the seeds were first collected to be produced. Plus, the grass tips have a bluish hue in spring.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed<\/a> (3 lbs.)
\u2013 SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)
\u2013 Jacklin Seed – Biltmore Blue Blend – 100% Kentucky Bluegrass<\/a> (5 lbs.)<\/p>Fine fescue (Festuca <\/em>spp.)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"fine-fescue-grass\"](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Fine-fescue-1.jpg\")
Aaron Patton | Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Fine fescue<\/a> grasses are from parts of Europe and Asia. Some have been used in Scotland since the 16th century for turf on golf courses (yes, they\u2019ve played golf that long!). They can withstand pretty poor soil conditions, shade, and dry weather, making them hardy grasses to grow. <\/p>
Any time you buy a \u201csun and shade\u201d quality grass seed mix, you can be sure you\u2019re getting fine fescue mixed with Kentucky bluegrass because it\u2019s a winning combination that works in cool, humid climates.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)
\u2013 Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed<\/a> (choose your size)
\u2013 Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (25 lbs.)
\u2013 Outsidepride Hard Fine Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (10 lbs.)<\/p>Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea<\/em>) <\/span><\/h3>
![\"tall](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Tall-fescue-1.jpg\")
Aaron Patton \/ Purdue’s Turfgrass Science Program<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Tall fescue<\/a> is native to many parts of Europe (where it\u2019s of little importance), the Mediterranean region, North Africa, and parts of Siberia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. It is believed it was brought from Europe in the 19th century as a contaminant in meadow fescue seed<\/a>. <\/p>
It\u2019s become quite popular as a turfgrass because the grass seed grows in a myriad of conditions, from wet to dry soil and even soils lacking in nutrients.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend<\/a> (5000 sq ft)
\u2013 Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed<\/a> (choose your size)
\u2013 Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix<\/a> (7 lb.)<\/p>Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne<\/em>)<\/span><\/h3>
![\"Perennial](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Perennial-ryegrass-1.jpg\")
Sheryl Watson<\/a> | Canva Pro | License<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Like many other cool-season turfgrasses, perennial ryegrass<\/a> is native to much of Europe and Asia. It\u2019s not exactly known when it was introduced to the United States; most sources simply say, \u201cat an early date.\u201d<\/p>
Perennial ryegrass is another turf type grown across the country. It\u2019s used as a permanent lawn in the country’s northern areas and across parts of the transition zone. Since it has such quick germination, it is also used as a temporary groundcover when seeding a new lawn in Kentucky bluegrass. In the South, it is the best grass to overseed lawns<\/a> when they go dormant for the winter.<\/p>
Grass Seed Options:
<\/strong>\u2013 Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed<\/a> (5 lbs.)
\u2013 Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed<\/a> (choose your size)<\/p>FAQ about where grass seed comes from<\/span><\/h2>
Are grass seeds harvested from grass plants?<\/span><\/h3>
Grass seed doesn\u2019t come from the blades of grass directly. The typical lawn grasses \u2014 Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, Zoysia, St. Augustine\u2014all produce seedheads (or inflorescences) that drop seeds once they\u2019re mature. In most cases, you cut the tops off your grass variety with the mower before the seedheads develop.<\/p>
But not all types of seed will germinate and grow. Seed harvested from hybrid grasses is sterile and will never germinate to grow new grass.<\/p>
What causes grass to go to seed?<\/span><\/h3>
Grasses go to seed for many different reasons. Ultimately, though, they send up seedheads in response to adverse growing conditions as a last-ditch effort to pass genetics to a new generation before the end of their life cycle. Common causes during the growing season are drought stress, hot summer temperatures, and weed pressure.<\/p>
What is the difference between warm-season and cool-season grasses?<\/span><\/h3>
Warm-season turfgrasses<\/a> prefer hot summer days and mild winters without snow; they grow mainly across the southern part of the United States. Cool-season grasses<\/a> prefer cooler, more temperate summer conditions and can survive harsh winters; they grow mainly in the northern areas of the United States.<\/p>
Honor your lawn\u2019s history!<\/span><\/h2>
As you can see, your grass has come a long way to take up residence in your yard, so honor its heritage by caring for it well! <\/p>
If you\u2019re short on time or don\u2019t want to get out and spend hours doing lawn care, reach out to Lawn Love<\/a>! We\u2019ll put you in touch with local lawn professionals who can handle mowing<\/a>, fertilization<\/a>, and weed control<\/a> to give you a beautiful, healthy lawn!<\/p>
Lawn Love participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Lawn Love may earn revenue from products promoted in this article.<\/em><\/p>
Main Image Credit: Elena Photo<\/a> \/ Canva Pro \/ License<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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- Fine fescue<\/a><\/li>
- Bermudagrass<\/a><\/li>
- St. Augustinegrass<\/a><\/li>