Centipede Grass
Eremochloa ophiuroides · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10. Exhibits good heat tolerance but is susceptible to cold damage below 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Goes dormant and turns straw-colored during winter freezes.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Andropogoneae
Variety / Cultivar
Common Centipede / TifBlair
About This Grass
Forms a dense, medium-textured turf with a distinctive light to medium apple-green color. Often called the lazy man's grass due to slow growth and low maintenance requirements. Reaches a height of 3 to 5 inches if left unmowed, but maintained much lower. Produces single-sided spike-like raceme seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium width (approx 4mm), flat with blunt, rounded tips. Color is a light apple-green. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs. Auricles are absent. Collar is continuous and narrow.
Root System
Moderately shallow fibrous root system combined with creeping above-ground stolons. Forms a tight sod that has a moderate tendency to build up thatch if over-fertilized. Establishes at a moderate pace.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to southern China and Southeast Asia; widely naturalized and cultivated in the Southeastern United States and similar subtropical climate regions.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading exclusively by above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, apple-green sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight). Moderate water needs once established, with good drought tolerance as it enters dormancy during severe dry spells. Prefers acidic, sandy soils with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 1.0 to 2.0 inches using a rotary mower. Low mowing frequency due to slow growth rate. Requires low fertilization (1 to 2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year). Low overall maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Low wear and traffic tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia. Susceptible to iron chlorosis in high pH soils and ground pearl insects. Excellent tolerance to acidic, infertile soils where other grasses fail.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes in sandy regions. Low invasive potential compared to other warm-season grasses. Forms uniform monotypic stands.