Carpetgrass
Axonopus fissifolius · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paspaleae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass and Pasture Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common Carpetgrass (unimproved standard variety)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Good heat and humidity tolerance, but poor cold tolerance, going completely dormant and turning straw-colored upon first frost.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, light to medium green warm-season grass that forms a dense, tight sod. Height ranges from low-mowed turf up to 12 inches when producing seed heads. Notable features include flattened stolons with a reddish-purple tint at the nodes and characteristic spike-like raceme seed heads resembling crabgrass but less branched.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are broad and flat (typically 4-8mm wide), blunt or rounded at the tips, light green to yellowish-green in color, with rolled vernation in the bud. Smooth texture with prominent midveins. The ligule is a very short membrane edged with hairs, auricles are absent, and the collar is continuous and broad.
Root System
Shallow to moderate fibrous root system arising from rooting stolon nodes. Forms a dense surface sod with moderate thatch tendency under high moisture. Fast establishment from seed or vegetative spread, but susceptible to drying out quickly due to shallow rooting.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical America, including the southeastern United States; well-adapted to the Gulf Coast and coastal plains
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively by robust, flattened above-ground stolons and forming a dense turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers full sun to partial shade; highly tolerant of damp, poorly drained, acidic soils where other grasses fail. High water requirements; poor drought tolerance, going into dormancy or wilting rapidly without consistent moisture.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Mowing frequency is medium during the active growing season. Low fertilization needs (1-2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). Low overall maintenance level, thriving in low-fertility, wet soils.
Special Characteristics
Low wear tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia; poor drought tolerance; fair to good shade tolerance under wet conditions; excellent tolerance of acidic, wet, infertile soils; moderate resistance to most common turf diseases.
Ecological Information
Introduced/native across parts of the American coastal plain. Provides moderate ground cover and erosion control in wet areas, but often considered a weed in finer managed lawns. Wildlife value includes forage for grazing animals and ground cover for small wildlife.