Carpetgrass
Axonopus compressus · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paspaleae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture/Forage Grass, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Carpetgrass (wild-type populations are most common, rarely selected cultivars)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11. Sensitive to heavy frost and extreme cold, entering winter dormancy and turning straw-colored.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, light green to yellow-green turf with flat, blunt-tipped leaves and characteristic paired or single slender spike-like racemes forming crabgrass-like seed heads. Height reaches 2 to 4 inches when maintained, but can grow up to 12 inches if left unmowed.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture, width typically 4-8mm, flat shape with a blunt or rounded tip. Vernation is folded in the bud. Light green color. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, auricles are absent, and the collar is broad and continuous.
Root System
Shallow to moderate fibrous root system with extensive creeping stolons. Moderate establishment speed from seed or sprigs. Tends to form a spongy thatch layer over time.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical Central and South America, widely naturalized in the southeastern United States and other humid tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading vigorously by flat, above-ground runners (stolons) that root at the nodes, forming a dense, coarse mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade, showing better shade tolerance than many other warm-season grasses. High water requirements; prefers moist, wet, or poorly drained acidic soils where other grasses fail.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 1.5 to 2.5 inches every 7-10 days. Low fertilizer requirements (1-2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year). Low overall maintenance level, though it requires frequent mowing during the rainy season due to rapid vertical seed head production.
Special Characteristics
Good tolerance for wet, acidic, and infertile soils. Moderate wear tolerance, but poor drought tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia. Susceptible to spittlebugs and brown patch in humid conditions.
Ecological Information
Introduced in North America, provides good erosion control on damp slopes and waterways. Acts as a persistent ground cover in low-maintenance, damp shady areas, though often considered a weed in high-end turf.