Grasses used in North Carolina generally consists of warm season grasses such as: bermuda, zoysia, centipede, and carpet grass is even used in shady, wet areas of the state. Warm-season grasses are green in the summer and become brown and dormant in the winter. Warm-season grasses are adapted to the sandy soils of the North Carolina coastal plain and most of the piedmont. Warm-season grasses tolerate the high temperatures and summer droughts in North Carolina better than cool-season grasses. Cool season grasses such as turf type tall fescue can also be used in areas where year round green turf is desired. Ryegrass is typically just used for overseeding warm season grasses in North Carolina.

Bermuda Grass - Bermudagrass is the species most adapted to and most frequently used throughtout the state. Many new and improved seeded varieties have been developed and released during the last 10 years. Users now have a choice of varieties that are denser and finer textured than the almost extinct seed of common bermudagrass. Bermudagrass spreads aggressively by stolons (aboveground runners) and rhizomes (belowground runners) and can become a nuisance when it invades flower beds and gardens. Also, cold-tolerant seeded and vegetative varieties are available that withstand lower winter temperatures.

Centipede Grass - Medium in texture with a pale to medium green color, Centipede is slow growing but highly aggressive grass that can be depended upon to produce a good, dense, relatively weed-free turf at low maintenance levels. In spite of its aggressiveness, Centipede is easily controlled and usually requires edging only once a year around walks and flowerbeds. Although Centipede usually produces a good turf at low fertility and with little management, it responds nicely to good care.

Cool-Season Grasses:
Tall fescue - Turf Type - Tall fescue is a persistent and durable plant that forms acceptable turf for home lawns, grounds, parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields. It is commonly used in low maintenance situations such as utility areas, highway medials, airstrips, and fairgrounds. Many new and improved varieties have finer texture, higher tiller densities, and a darker-green color than the coarse-textured, light-green varieties such as 'Kentucky 31' and 'Alta.' Tall fescue is considered by many individuals to be incompatible with the finer-textured and darker-green Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues. Tall fescue may be objectionable in a mixture with fine-textured turfgrass species because it tends to form coarse-textured clumps in an otherwise uniform stand.

Tall fescue is primarily a bunch-type grass that occasionally produces short rhizomes. It is somewhat slow to establish extensive root systems and has only fair recovery potential. This species is the most heat and drought tolerant of the cool-season turfgrasses. The increased drought tolerance is a function of its ability to produce a deep root system. Tall fescue performs well in open, sunny areas and is moderately shade tolerant. It is less suited to heavily-shaded conditions than the fine fescues, but is more shade tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Tall fescue is best suited to well-drained soils.

Kentucky bluegrass - Kentucky bluegrass is a persistent and attractive species that is used in many home lawns, institutional grounds, parks, and athletic fields. This species has a medium to fine leaf texture and a medium- to dark-green color when properly fertilized. It produces extensive underground stems, called rhizomes, which provide good sod-forming characteristics and superior recuperative potential when compared to most other cool-season turfgrasses. Kentucky bluegrass is cold tolerant, wear tolerant, and moderately heat and drought tolerant. It makes optimum growth during the spring and fall and becomes semi-dormant under prolonged periods of heat and drought. It usually recovers quickly from dormancy with the advent of cooler temperatures and adequate soil moisture.

Perennial ryegrass - Ryegrass is a persistent, dark-green, fine to medium-textured turfgrass that is used for home lawns, parks, grounds, golf courses, and athletic fields. This species produces a bunch-type growth habit and does not form rhizomes or stolons. Its recuperative potential is not as strong as Kentucky bluegrass. Perennial ryegrass germinates rapidly (5 to 7 days) and establishes quickly. It is very competitive with other turfgrasses and is used extensively for overseeding thin or damaged turf. Because of its aggressive nature, perennial ryegrass is generally not used in amounts over 20 percent in a mixture with other turfgrasses. It is suitable for use alone or in combination with Kentucky bluegrass and/or fine fescues.

Perennial ryegrasses is wear tolerant and heat tolerant. It is only moderately tolerant of shade and drought. This species will withstand low temperatures, however, it tends to be susceptible to ice damage. Perennial ryegrass performs best on moderate to high-fertility soils and well-drained soils. Ryegrass is typically only used to overseed bermuda grass with in North Carolina.

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
Centipede Grass		Warm Season	Lawns - Mostly Sunny to Full Sun - Low Maintenance
Cool Season Mix - Showtime		Cool Season	Lawns - Moderate Shade Rye, Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescue Mix
Cool Season Mix - Garland		Cool Season	Lawns - Moderate Shade Rye, Fine Fescue Mix
Fescue/Bluegrass Mix - Combat Extreme South		Cool Season	Lawns - Wear Tolerant - Extra Heat Tolerance
Fescue Blend - Combat Extreme Transition		Cool Season	Lawns - Wear Tolerant
Fine Fescue Blend - Legacy		Cool Season	Lawns - Moderate to Dense Shade
Kentucky Bluegrass - Bluegrass Supreme		Cool Season	Lawns - Golf Gourses - Full Sun
Kentucky Bluegrass - Midnight		Cool Season	Lawns - Golf Courses - Full Sun
OSP Ryegrass		Cool Season	Lawns - Golf Courses

Blackjack Bermudagrass

Popular Bermudagrass

 

This vigorous, fine-bladed cultivar adds color and density to any warm-season blend. Blackjack lawn seed produces a sun-loving turf that performs throughout the hottest summer months, and in addition, Blackjack shows remarkable cold tolerance even in cold winter areas. If planting sprigs or plugs makes your back sore, consider Blackjack seeded Bermudagrass. You'll get a dense green lawn all summer long.

• Cost Effective
• Warm Season
• Deep green color

Combat Extreme Southern

Extra Heat Tolerance

 

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

Below is the USDA Zone Map for North Carolina 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 North Carolina