Types of Grass in Texas

Types of Texas Grasses

Grass is a multi-million dollar industry, in case you don’t know, and that is both on the side of landscapers who earn their money by planting and maintaining the grass on lawns of both private homes and public buildings, and also for farmers, livestock farmers who depend on the grass to feed their livestock in order to stay in business and be profitable.

Aside from money or the effects of grass on the economy, the bigger picture is that grass is absolutely vital for the ecosystem or the sustenance of most life on our planet. Grass is that thing you trample under your feet every day and moan about having to cut or mow. So you see now that grass is an extremely important contributor to life on earth.

Now that you have a better idea about what roles grass plays in our lives, let us devote the rest of the article to exploring some of the types of grass in Texas. Make a mental note of the fact that Texas is one of the most important agricultural states in the United States, and contributes immensely to the beef supply of America and the world with over 11.8 million heads of cattle on standby. Surely, you can see that grass is more than just grass to the average Texas cowboy, it is a matter of livelihood.

So what are the types of grass that you can find in Texas, and that make Texas what it is today? This article will tell us exactly that.

Types of Grass in Texas 

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky Bluegrass

Kentucky bluegrass is not blue. It is green just like other types of grass. This a kind of grass that requires water to grow and so is naturally limited to the panhandle area of the state. Even so, this grass is mostly grown by irrigation. The name of the Kentucky Bluegrass comes from the fact that when the grass grows to its full height and maturity it produces a flower whose head is blue. Apart from this blue flowery top, the grass can also be identified by its boat-shaped tip and the fact that it grows to a tall height-about 18 to 24 inches in full.

Ryegrass

Ryegrass

Ryegrass is a type of grass that grows in the fall and winter, but that stays alive almost all year round in most cases. Ryegrass is a short type of grass that actually has two variants- the annual and perennial versions ryegrass. The perennial is for year-round coverage, while the annual is seeded yearly and lives for only one season, which is the winter season. Having grass that actually grows and thrives in the winter, when other grasses and plants, in general, tend to go under, can have tremendous agricultural potential. But apart from the agricultural uses of Ryegrass, you can often find this type of grass on golf courses, parks, as well as home lawns. This grass is often mixed with bluegrass to cover sports fields, such as football fields, baseball fields, and rugby or American football fields.

Carpet Grass

Carpet Grass

This kind of grass does better in the open, without any trees or buildings getting in the way of its optimum sunshine. It is a warm-season perennial grass that does well in the coastal areas of Texas. Carpet grass grows in dense formations, so it needs water or rainfall, and low-fertility land to grow well and quickly. This grass will not do well in salty land or marshes and will die if planted in dry areas or areas where it cannot receive adequate sunshine. Although the grass will do well even in a land that is not very fertile, it is very picky about the sunshine, and adequate water.

St Augustine Grass

St Augustine Grass

The St. Augustine grass is a king of grass that thrives in coastal areas, where there is water, plenty of heat, and little shade. It has a rough leaf, and the grass grows quite quickly, although the grass is quite easy to control and maintain. If you want to grow this grass you do so by sodding or plugging, and not by seeding. It needs loose, sandy soil with nitrogen.

Tall Fescue Grass

Tall Fescue Grass

The tall fescue grass is a native grass that is found in Northern Texas, and that requires plenty of shade and water to thrive. Generally speaking, it can obtain these conditions on its own, but when there is a lack of rainfall or a drought, it needs extra water. This grass has been described as a bunchy type of grass because it grows in clusters or bunches. It can be found in the wild where it thrives, but many cultivators decline to use this because it is a high-maintenance kind of grass, and is not generally good for lawns or fields for sports.

Centipede Grass

Centipede grass is not a native species in America but was imported from China. The grass is famous for its natural resistance to weeds. The grass can be found in farms, parks, and grazing reserves mostly in Southern Texas. The grass is moderately tolerant of shade and is not good under harsh, extremely cold conditions.

Mexican Feathergrass

Turn the spotlight on a great native Texas plant, Mexican Feathergrass. Nasella tenuissima commonly known as Mexican Feathergrass is a hardy ornamental grass to add to your landscape. The soft, wispy, feathery, weeping form of this plant adds elegance and movement to a garden.

mex

This plant is a great choice for Austinites, in addition to this plant’s graceful appearance it only requires low amounts of water and can survive drought without too much maintenance. Mexican Feathergrass also thrives in full sun. This is the perfect plant for a Texas summer, add a few or many to improve your yard.

Other Types of Grass that can be found in Texas

Buffalograss, Tifway, Bermuda Grass, Fine Fescue, and Zoysia are some of the types of grass that you can find, along with prairie buffalo grass.

Conclusion On The Types Of Grass In Texas:

This article does not mean that no other type of grass will grow in Texas, it just means that Texas is limited in the kinds of grass that will do well, or that have economic importance, particularly to the cattle ranches and landscapers in Texas.

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