Best Grass Seeds For Arizona

Best Lawn Grass Seeds For Arizona

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 than most other grasses. For these reasons, it is by far the most prominent 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).

Click Name To View Grass Seed Choice   Type Applications
Bermuda Grass - Oasis Warm Season Lawns - Full Sun - Fast Growing
Bermuda Grass - Blackjack Warm Season Lawns - Full Sun - Fast Growing
Bermuda Grass - Yukon Warm Season Lawns - Golf Course - Fast Growing
Full Sun - High End - Best Cold Tolerance
Bermuda Grass - Arden 15 Warm Season Lawns - Golf Course - Fast Growing
Full Sun - High End
Buffalo Grass - Buffalo Supreme Warm Season Lawns - High Drought Tolerance - Full Sun
Fescue/Bluegrass Mix - Combat Extreme South Cool Season Lawns - Wear Tolerant - Extra Heat Tolerance
Fescue Blend - Combat Extreme Transition Cool Season Lawns - Wear Tolerant
Kentucky Bluegrass - Bluegrass Supreme Cool Season Lawns - Golf Gourses - Full Sun
Used In Cool Zones in Arizona
Kentucky Bluegrass - Midnight Cool Season Lawns - Golf Courses - Full Sun
Used In Cool Zones in Arizona
OSP Ryegrass Cool Season Lawns - Golf Courses - Southern Winter Overseed
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Combat Extreme Southern

 
Combat Southern is a 3-way mixture of turf type fescue and Hybrid Bluegrass which is heat and drought tolerant enough to be used in USDA Zones 8 - 10 (partial shade recommend for USDA Zone 9 and 10). This mixture is approximately 90% turf type fescue grass seed and 10% hybrid bluegrass seed by weight. By seed count, this makes almost a 50/50 blend of fescue and hybrid drought tolerant bluegrass.
  • Wear Tolerant
  • Cost Efficient
  • Lawns
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Arden 15 Bermuda Grass

 
Arden 15 bermuda grass seed can be used on golf course fairways and tees - manicured home lawns - well maintained sports turf and parks. It has several advantages over traditional Bermuda grasses: Arden 15, just has a higher overall turf quality than all commercial seeded varieties in U.S. and international tests. This bermuda grass variety has a beautiful dark green color, medium fine leaf texture. Just as its predecessor Princess 77 had, Arden 15 has a high leaf density as well as a moderate spring greenup and fall color retention, and it is easily established from grass seed.
  • Golf Courses
  • Lawns
  • High End



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
Arizona Grass Seed Arizona Zones

Compare Various Grasses For Their Characteristics
Cool Season
Grasses
Leaf
Texture
Establish
Rate
Nitrogen
Use
Water
Use
Drought
Tolerance
Salinity
Tolerance
Shade
Tolerance
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
Bermudagrass Fine
to Moderate
Moderate
to Fast
Moderate Moderate
to High
Excellent Very Good Poor
Centipedegrass Moderate
to Coarse
Slow Low Low Good Moderate Moderate
to Good
Seashore Paspalum Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Excellent Excellent 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
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
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
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

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