Zoysia Japonica - Japanese Lawngrass

Japonica is a medium textured, slow growing grass that spreads aggressively with rhizomes and stolons.  It is adapted to tropical, subtropical and temperate climates with varieties such as Zenith exhibiting higher cold tolerance.  Its cold tolerance does allow it to survive in extreme cold temperatures, but its slower rate of growth makes it basically impractical as a lawn grass in sub arctic climates.

The Zenith variety of Zoysia is a seeded variety of Japonica that is similar in characteristics to Meyer Zoysia.   Other popular varieties are Emerald, El Toro and Meyer all of which are mainly propagated by sod / sprigs / plugs.  Seed from the Meyer variety are occasionally available, though the newer selections such as Zenith are mostly planted now due to better germination of the seeds.

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