With rain, humidity, heat and even hurricanes, living in the state of Florida means that there are a few climate challenges to overcome. Florida’s unique climate calls for grasses that are equipped to thrive in the state’s often extreme weather conditions. With zoysia grasses becoming one of the most popular turfgrasses in the southern two-thirds of the United States, Sod University highlights the most popular zoysia varieties not only found in the state of Florida, but that will thrive in the state’s complex climates.
Zoysia grass is especially suited for Florida application because of its versatility and strength when faced with sun, heat, traffic and wear. Here are just a few of the reasons why zoysia sod is a great pick for your Florida lawn:
- Zoysia grasses are known for being “warm season” varieties, which allows them to flourish in the South—but they can also handle Florida’s sparse cold snaps.
- Zoysia sod is both heat and drought tolerant, two of the biggest challenges for growing a healthy lawn in Florida.
- Zoysia grass does best in full sun, but can also handle the shady spots found in many Florida lawns.
- Zoysia grasses boast a dense growth pattern, making the grass very durable and able to withstand traffic and wear.
- Zoysia sod has low water and mowing requirements when compared to other varieties, making it low maintenance and easy to care for.
Now that you have a better understanding of some of the key features of zoysia sod, let’s take a look at some of the zoysia grass varieties that do best in Florida. While zoysia grasses share some of the same overall characteristics, there are different varieties of zoysia to fit the specific needs of your individual home lawn.
EMPIRE Zoysia
Bred in Brazil, EMPIRE® Zoysia has been extremely popular for both home and commercial applications in Florida because of its ability to flourish in warm, humid climates. Florida homeowners also love EMPIRE because of its wide, green blades that form a dense canopy. These wide, green blades give it a similar look to St. Augustines—a Florida favorite.
Many Florida lawns with St. Augustine grass are plagued with chinch bugs, but EMPIRE is extremely chinch bug resistant. A great feature that EMPIRE possesses is that it has the ability to grow in a variety of soil conditions that other grasses may have a hard time with. It tolerates saline soils commonly found in tropical areas along coastlines.
Featuring tough runners, rhizomes and deep roots that provide excellent sod strength, EMPIRE effortlessly tolerates stressors like wear and tear from kids or pets and periods of drought. Learn more in EMPIRE: The Zoysia Grass Designed for Florida.
EMPIRE Zoysia Characteristics:
- Ideal Use: Home lawns with 6–8 hours of sunlight, golf, parks and commercial landscapes
- Mow Height: 1–2 inches
- Blade Width: Medium (5–7 mm)
- Wear Tolerance: Very Good
- Injury Recovery: Very Good
- Shade Tolerance: Good
- Drought Tolerance: Very Good
Innovation Zoysia
Developed in Kansas State and Texas A&M, InnovationTM Zoysia has proven again and again in studies to be more shade tolerant than many other zoysia grass and to be one of the hardier choices among its competitors. It’s medium-fine dark green blades create a soft feel and attractive look. This grass thrives in transition zones that experience hot, humid summers but also encounter cold weather periods during the winter, which may make it difficult for other grass types to survive. Innovation’s overall quality makes it a top choice for many Florida homeowners.
Innovation Zoysia Characteristics:
- Ideal Use: Golf, parks, commercial landscapes and home lawns
- Mow Height: 1–2 inches
- Blade Width: Fine-bladed
- Wear Tolerance: Good
- Injury Recovery: Good
- Shade Tolerance: Very Good
- Drought Tolerance: Very Good
CitraZoy Zoysia
CitraZoy Zoysiagrass stands out an an excellent option for home lawns in Florida. This medium-fine-bladed zoysia variety, originally cultivated in Florida, has been specifically developed to exhibit resilience against common turfgrass diseases, making it a robust and reliable option for Florida's warm and humid climate. Its medium-fine blades create a lush and velvety surface that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also durable, making it ideal for home lawns that endure daily wear and tear.
CitraZoy Zoysia grass boasts rapid recovery from traffic, ensuring that it maintains its pristine appearance even in high-traffic areas. What sets CitraZoy apart from other grass varieties is its exceptional disease resistance, vibrant fall/winter color retention, prompt spring green-up and remarkable drought tolerance, making it an excellent choice for homeowners looking to achieve a lush and resilient lawn in the Sunshine State.
CitraZoy Zoysia Characteristics:
- Ideal Use: Home, Commercial
- Mow Height: 1–2 inches
- Blade Width: 2 mm
- Wear Tolerance: Very Good
- Injury Recovery: Very Good
- Shade Tolerance: Good
- Drought Tolerance: Good
Lobo Zoysia
Lobo® Zoysiagrass (also known by its experimental name XZ-14069) is one of the newer zoysia cultivars, developed by NC State’s Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics program in collaboration with Sod Solutions and the North Carolina Sod Producers Association.
Because it was bred with “low input” performance in mind, Lobo is positioned as a turfgrass that can deliver good aesthetics and stress tolerance with less water, fertilization, and mowing—making it a strong contender for homeowners seeking reduced maintenance.
Here are key traits and considerations of Lobo that may make it attractive (or not) for Florida lawns:
- Ideal Use: Home lawns, commercial landscapes, golf fairways, parks
- Mow Height: 1–2 inches
- Blade Width: Medium-fine (around 3–5 mm)
- Wear Tolerance: Very Good
- Injury Recovery: Very Good (fast for a zoysia)
- Shade Tolerance: Good to Very Good (moderate shade performance)
- Drought Tolerance: Very Good
- Disease Resistance: Very Good (notably against large patch and leaf spot)
Lobo Zoysia is a newer grass variety with more availability coming soon.
It is important to know all of your options so that you can make the best, informed choice when installing a new turfgrass variety at home. Oftentimes, the best turfgrass variety all depends on what you are looking for and what the lawn’s environment presents. The above turfgrass selection demonstrates some of the top-performing cultivars for the state of Florida and its tropical climate, but if you are looking for a low-maintenance variety, be sure to read The Best Grass for Low Maintenance in Florida.
St. Augustine grass is a highly popular selection in Florida home lawns, but certain zoysia varieties like EMPIRE are better equipped for the Florida climate and the environment it presents than most St. Augustine grasses. Read Turf Wars: Zoysia vs. St. Augustine for more information and be sure to check out another Sod University blog on All About Zoysia Sod.
