Manilagrass / Zoysia Grass
Zoysia matrella · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Golf Course Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Manila grass standard type, fine-textured selections
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 10. Exhibits good cold tolerance for a warm-season grass (surviving into lower zone 6 with winter dormancy) and excellent heat tolerance.
About This Grass
Forms an extremely dense, fine-to-medium textured turf with bright to medium green coloration. When unmowed, it grows to about 4 to 8 inches, but when maintained, it creates a tight, upright cushion. Distinctive seed heads feature small spikes or racemes arranged along a central axis.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are narrow (typically 2-3mm wide), flat to slightly folded, with pointed tips. Vernation is rolled in the bud. Light to medium green color with a smooth texture and prominent midvein. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent.
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system combined with extensive rhizomes and stolons. Moderate to high thatch-forming tendency under high fertility. Establishes relatively slowly from seed, faster from sod/plugs. Excellent drought tolerance once established.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of southeast Asia and northern Australasia; widely cultivated across tropical, subtropical, and transition zone climates globally.
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both above-ground stolons and below-ground rhizomes, forming a very dense, carpet-like turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun for optimal density, though exhibits moderate shade tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses. Low to moderate water needs once established, highly drought-tolerant by entering dormancy during severe dry spells. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 0.75 to 2.0 inches using a reel or sharp rotary mower. Requires moderate maintenance, occasional dethatching due to dense thatch buildup, and moderate fertilization (2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually).
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear tolerance and heavy traffic recovery due to aggressive stoloniferous growth. Good salt tolerance, making it popular in coastal regions. Moderate shade tolerance compared to bermudagrass. Goes into winter dormancy (turns straw-colored/brown) promptly with the first frost.
Ecological Information
Introduced outside its native Asian range. Provides effective erosion control on slopes and coastal areas due to dense root and stolon network. Low weed invasion potential once fully established due to its dense mat-forming nature.