Carpetgrass
Axonopus compressus · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paspaleae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf and Pasture Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common Carpetgrass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11. Sensitive to extended frost and extreme cold, going completely dormant and turning straw-colored during winter.
About This Grass
Carpetgrass forms a dense, apple-green to bright green low-growing turf with blunt-tipped, flat leaves. Unmowed height can reach 6 to 12 inches, while maintained turf sits around 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Seed heads feature two to four slender, one-sided spikes arranged in a crabgrass-like or finger-like panicle.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are relatively wide (4-8mm, coarse), flat, and blunt with rounded or slightly pointed tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. The ligule is a very short, fringed membrane, and auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous and often smooth or slightly hairy.
Root System
Shallow to moderate fibrous root system arising primarily from the stolon nodes. Tends to develop a moderate thatch layer over time. Establishes rapidly from seed or vegetative stolons in moist soils.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical Central and South America, widely naturalized in the southeastern United States and other humid subtropical regions globally.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively by robust, flat, creeping above-ground stolons that root at the nodes, forming a coarse, dense turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade, showing better shade tolerance than many other warm-season turfgrasses. High water requirement, preferring wet, poorly drained, acidic soils where other grasses struggle.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 1.5 to 2.5 inches using a rotary mower. Low to medium maintenance level. Requires minimal fertilization (1-2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year) and occasional dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Excellent tolerance for acidic, wet, and infertile soils. Moderate to low traffic and wear tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia. Good erosion control in damp shady areas.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides low-quality forage for livestock in damp pastures. Can act as a persistent weed in managed lawns but is ecologically valuable for stabilizing wet, acidic soils.