Bahiagrass
Paspalum notatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture/Forage, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
'Pensacola' (most common wide-spread cultivar with narrower blades and better cold tolerance)
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11. Excellent heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance (goes dormant and turns brown with the first hard frost).
About This Grass
Forms a coarse-textured, light green, moderately open turf with extensive above-ground runners. Unmowed, it grows up to 18-30 inches tall, producing distinctive V-shaped paired raceme seed heads that resemble a tiny pitchfork or wishbone. Maintained lawns are kept at 2-3 inches.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture, typically 3 to 8 mm wide, flat or folded with pointed tips. Light to medium yellow-green color. Rolled in the bud (vernation). Membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, lacking auricles. The collar is continuous and broad.
Root System
Extremely deep, tough, fibrous root system extending several feet into the soil. Moderate to fast establishment from seed, low thatch tendency, excellent drought survival due to deep roots.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to South America (Argentina, Brazil); widely cultivated and naturalized in the southeastern United States and tropical regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Aggressive, coarse grower utilizing both short, stout rhizomes and robust stolons, forming a tough, open turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight); poor shade tolerance. Low to moderate water needs once established, exceptionally high drought tolerance through deep dormancy.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.0 to 3.0 inches every 7-10 days during the growing season. Low fertility requirements (1-2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). Low maintenance level, though seed heads can be unsightly and tough to cut.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance once established, excellent resistance to most lawn diseases and insects, good salt tolerance, highly effective for roadside erosion control on poor sandy soils, recovers well from drought.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good forage for livestock and ground cover for wildlife, stabilizes sandy coastal and southern soils, non-invasive outside managed or disturbed southern landscapes.