
Grasses used in Arizona are numerous, but most are warm season grasses except for overseeding grasses such as ryegrass. Bermudagrass is most likely the toughest grass used for turf in areas of the desert southwest, the southern plains, and the humid southeastern United States. No other warm season grass has so many attributes. Bermuda grasses establishes quickly, forms dense sod, good tolerance to salinity, good traffic tolerance, and grows on hard soil surfaces better then most other grasses. For these reasons, it is by far the most prominant grass in Arizona.
Both buffalo grass and blue grama will work in the low desert as turf; however, they are far better adapted in Arizona to elevations above 3,500 feet - they are planted in turf demonstration plots at the Arboretum at Flagstaff and recommended at that elevation down toward Prescott. Blue grama is natural in our state at higher elevations where rainfall is more plentiful - it is a superior forage grass for wildflife, cattle, etc. Buffalograss is not native to Arizona, but has been introduced over the years at higher, cooler elevations, with more rainfall as a revegetation grass, for its forage value and soil holding ability. In the lower elevations, these two grasses can be forced to grow with the addition of extra water - still less water than bermudagrass or other normal turf species here.
Another warm season grass which can also be used in Arizona is zoysia grass. Check with your county extension agency to see if it will work in your county.
Cool season grasses such as ryegrass, bluegrass, and turf type fescue are also used in cooler climate zones in Arizona (particularly the North part of Arizona and higher elevations).
Below is the USDA Zone Map for Arizona so you can determine which zone you reside in. Below that are our picks for your state which will do best in your area. Next on this page are tables which list various grasses and their characteristics so you can compare before you decide on your purchase. Click on the product name (ie. Midnight) for more information about that grass and to make your purchase.
| USDA Zone Map For Arizona | |
|---|---|
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| Best Grasses For Arizona | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Name | Species | Category | Applications |
| La Prima | Bermuda Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Full Sun |
| Yukon | Bermuda Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Full Sun |
| Supreme | Buffalo Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Full Sun |
| /catalog/Blue-Grama-p-17198.html | Blue Grama Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Full Sun |
| Zenith | Zoysia Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Mostly Sunny to Full Sun |
| Compadre | Zoysia Grass | Warm Season | Lawns - Mostly Sunny to Full Sun |
| Champion Ryegrass | Rye Grass | Cool Season | Lawns - Winter Overseed Only Sports Fields - Winter Overseed Only |
| Combat Extreme | Fescue - Turf Type | Cool Season | Lawns - Partial Sun Lawns - Full Sun in Cool Zones |
| Midnight | Kentucky Bluegrass | Cool Season | Lawns - Full Sun Cool Zones |
| World Cup | Kentucky Bluegrass | Cool Season | Lawns - Full Sun Cool Zones |
| Legacy | Fine Fescue Mix | Cool Season | Lawns - Partial Sun For Cool Zones High Elevations in Partial Sun |
| Compare Various Grasses For Their Characteristics | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cool Season Grasses |
Leaf Texture |
Establish Rate |
Nitrogen Use |
Water Use |
Drought Tolerance |
Salinity Tolerance |
Shade Tolerance |
|
| Bentgrass - Creeping | Fine | Moderate to Fast |
Low to Moderate |
High | Poor to Moderate |
High | Poor to Moderate |
|
| Bentgrass - Colonial | Fine | Moderate to Fast |
Low | Moderate | Poor to Moderate |
Moderate | Moderate | |
| Bluegrass - Kentucky | Moderate to Fine |
Slow | Moderate to High |
Moderate to High |
Good | Moderate | Poor | |
| Bluegrass - Rough | Moderate to Fine |
Slow | Moderate to High |
Moderate to High |
Poor | Moderate | Excellent | |
| Fescue - Chewings | Fine | Moderate | Moderate to Low |
Moderate | Good to Excellent |
Low | Excellent | |
| Fescue - Hard | Fine | Slow to Moderate |
Low to Very Low |
Moderate | Excellent | Low to Moderate |
Excellent | |
| Fescue - Creeping | Fine | Moderate | Low to Moderate |
Moderate | Good | Low | Excellent | |
| Fescue - Turf Type | Moderate to Coarse |
Moderate | Moderate to High |
Low to Moderate |
Excellent | Low | Good to Excellent |
|
| Ryegrass - Perennial | Fine to Moderate |
Very Fast | Moderate to High |
Moderate to High |
Good | Poor to Moderate |
Poor to Moderate |
|
| Warm Season Grasses |
Leaf Texture |
Establish Rate |
Nitrogen Use |
Water Use |
Drought Tolerance |
Salinity Tolerance |
Shade Tolerance |
|
| Bahiagrass | Coarse toVery Coarse |
Slow to Moderate |
Low | Low | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate to Good |
|
| Bermudagrass | Fine to Moderate |
Moderate to Fast |
Moderate | Moderate to High |
Excellent | Very Good | Poor | |
| Blue Grama | Fine to Moderate |
Slow to Moderate |
Low | Low | Excellent | Moderate | Very Poor | |
| Buffalograss | Moderate to Coarse |
Slow to Moderate |
Low | Low | Excellent | Moderate | Very Poor | |
| Carpetgrass | Coarse | Moderate to Fast |
Low | High | Low | Low | Excellent | |
| Centipedegrass | Moderate to Coarse |
Slow | Low | Low | Good | Moderate | Moderate to Good |
|
| Seashore Paspalum | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Excellent | Excellent | Good | |
| Zoysiagrass | Fine to Medium |
Slow to Moderate |
Moderate | Moderate | Excellent | Good | Moderate to Good |
|
| Compare Various Grasses For Their Characteristics - Continued | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cool Season Grasses |
Fertility Needs |
Wear Resistance |
Mowing Height |
Cold Tolerance |
Acid Soil Tolerance |
Thatching Tendency |
Heat Tolerance |
|
| Bentgrass - Creeping | High | Low | Low | Low | Medium to High |
High | High | |
| Bentgrass - Colonial | High | Low | Low | Low | Medium to High |
High | High | |
| Bluegrass - Kentucky | Medium | Medium to High |
Medium | High | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
| Bluegrass - Rough | Medium | Medium | Medium | High | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
| Fescue - Chewings | Low | Low | Medium | Medium to High |
Medium to High |
Low to Medium |
Low to Medium |
|
| Fescue - Hard | Low | Low | Medium | Medium to High |
Medium to High |
Low to Medium |
Low to Medium |
|
| Fescue - Creeping | Low | Low | Medium | High | Medium to High |
Low to Medium |
Low to Medium |
|
| Fescue - Turf Type | Low to Medium |
Medium to High |
Medium to High |
Medium | High | Low | High | |
| Ryegrass - Perennial | Medium | High | Low to Medium |
Medium | Medium | Low | Medium to High |
|
| Warm Season Grasses |
Fertility Needs |
Wear Resistance |
Mowing Height |
Cold Tolerance |
Acid Soil Tolerance |
Thatching Tendency |
Heat Tolerance |
|
| Bahiagrass | Low | Medium to High |
High | Low | Low | Medium to High |
High | |
| Bermudagrass | Medium | High | Low to Medium |
Low to Medium |
Medium | Medium | High | |
| Blue Grama | Low | Low | High | High | Low | Low | High | |
| Buffalograss | Low | Low | High | High | Low | Low | High | |
| Carpetgrass | Low | Medium to High |
Low | Medium to High |
Medium to High |
High | Low | |
| Centipedegrass | Low | Low | Medium to High |
Medium to High |
High | Medium | High | |
| Seashore Paspalum | Medium to High |
Medium to High |
Low | Medium | Low | Medium to High |
High | |
| Zoysiagrass | Low to Medium |
Medium to High |
Low to Medium |
High | Low to Medium |
Medium to High |
High | |
There are two methods to calculate the square feet of the area you are planting. Method 1: measure the size of your yard or yards that you want to purchase grass seed for. If you have circles or triangles you may have to get out the old math book to determine the length and width. Method 2: enter the measures for you lot in the first section. Enter measures for your house, garage, and other buildings in section 2. In section 3, enter other dimensions of areas you will not be seeding such as driveways and sidewalks. The calculator will subtract the area you are not seeding from you lot size to determine the amount of square feet that you will be seeding. After you have entered your dimensions, scroll down to the next section and choose the grass seed you want to purchase and enter the seeding rate into the calculator.
| Before you leave our web site with your grass seed, please be sure to check out our LazyMan Liquid product line. No need to rent aerators and dethatchers any more! Just spray on and let the products do the work for you and enrich your soil at the same time. |