Best Grass Seed for California

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Best Lawn Grass Seeds For California

Grasses in California

Warm season grass (Mid to Southern Cal - Warm Climate Zones):
Bermudagrass is the most commonly used warm season grass in the interior regions of California with high summer temperatures. Bermuda grass has good growth, color, texture and density during the warm spring, summer and early fall; however, they do go dormant during the winter months. Bermuda can be established in the spring or early summer by seed, whereas, hybrid bermuda must be established in root stock in sod, stolons, or plugs, which can be purchased from your local nursery. Lesser used warm season grasses are St. Augustine (vegetative only), zoysia (Southern Cal), and buffalo grass. Buffalo grass is excellent for the adverse conditions found in the lower valley of the desert southwest in California. Because of its drought tolerance, low nutritional requirements and short stature, it is drawing increasing attention for its potential use as a low-maintenance turfgrass for California. Like bermuda grass, all warm season grasses grow best during the spring, summer and early fall and are dormant in winter.

Cool season grasses (Northern Cal - Cool Climate Zones):
The major cool season grasses that are commonly established in cool summer regions include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. These grasses can be seeded alone to a lawn or many times mixes containing Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are used. Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are both quite fine textured grasses that have a good year-round green color. The new improved, or elite varieties of bluegrass and ryegrass will make an excellent lawn for many years if properly maintained. Tall fescue, is much coarser textured because of a characteristic broad leaf blade. It does, however, provide a year-round green color and is considered very wear tolerant. Because of its toughness and comparatively low maintenance requirement, tall fescue is frequently used for low maintenance, high traffic lawns. Tall fescue is more heat and drought tolerant the ryegrass or bluegrass and can be be used down into Mid California, but not Southern California unless that area is quite shady. Fine fescue may also be used at high elevations of California where freezing temperatures are common and in shady areas.

All Choices For California

Click Name To View Grass Seed Choice   Type Applications
Bermuda Grass - Oasis Warm Season Lawns - Full Sun - Fast Growing
Bermuda Grass - Blackjack Warm Season Lawns - Full Sun - Fast Growing
Bermuda Grass - Yukon Warm Season Lawns - Golf Course - Fast Growing
Full Sun - High End - Best Cold Tolerance
Bermuda Grass - Arden 15 Warm Season Lawns - Golf Course - Fast Growing
Full Sun - High End
Buffalo Grass - Buffalo Supreme Warm Season Lawns - High Drought Tolerance - Full Sun
Seashore Paspalum - Seaspray Warm Season Lawns - Mostly Sunny to Full Sun - Best Salt Tolerance
Bentgrass Colonial - Highland Cool Season Lawns - Full Sun - Northern Cal
Bentgrass Colonial - SR 7150 Cool Season Lawns - Golf Courses - Full Sun
Northern Cal
Cool Season Mix - Showtime Cool Season Lawns - Full Sun to Moderate Shade
Rye, Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescue Mix - Northern Cal
Cool Season Mix - Garland Cool Season Lawns - Full Sun to Moderate Shade
Rye, Fine Fescue Mix - Northern Cal
Fescue/Hybrid Bluegrass Mix - Combat Extreme South Cool Season Lawns - Wear Tolerant - Extra Heat Tolerance
Northern Cal or Shade in Southern Cal
Fescue Blend - Combat Extreme Transition Cool Season Lawns - Wear Tolerant - Northen Cal
Shade In Southern Cal
Fine Fescue Blend - Legacy Cool Season Lawns - Full Sun To Moderate Shade
Only In Northern Cal
Kentucky Bluegrass - Bluegrass Supreme Cool Season Lawns - Golf Gourses - Full Sun
Only In Northern Cal
Kentucky Bluegrass - Midnight Cool Season Lawns - Golf Courses - Full Sun
Only In Northern Cal
OSP Ryegrass Cool Season Lawns - Golf Courses - Southern Winter Overseed
Shade Grass - Poa Supina Mix Cool Season Lawns - Full Sun - Deep Shade - Best Shade Grass
Only In Northern Cal

Top Choices For California

Image Title

Kentucky Bluegrass - Midnight

 
Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass is the most Popular Blue Grass In America. The images above of Midnight Kentucky bluegrass from customers and aroundtheyard.com illustrate how beautiful Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass is. It is a unique compact-type variety grown in the plush Willamette Valley in Oregon to be distributed across the United States.
  • Dark Green Color
  • Lawns
  • Cost Efficient
Image Title

Combat Extreme Southern

 
Combat Southern is a popular choice for homeowners because it is more cost effective for lawns than bermudagrass alternatives. Blending fescue grass seed varieties together that have top performance on some of the desired characteristics allows the lawn to adapt itself to various conditions. In the shady areas, the grass seed varieties with good shade tolerance will prevail, in the high traffic areas the best wear tolerant grass seed varieties will prevail, etc. The result is a beautiful lawn grass everywhere, from the same seed blend.
  • Cost Effective
  • Lawns
  • Wear Resistant



USDA Zone Map

Below is the USDA Zone Map for California so you can determine which zone you reside in. Below that are our picks for your state which will do best in your area. Next on this page are tables which list various grasses and their characteristics so you can compare before you decide on your purchase. Click on the product name (ie. Midnight) for more information about that grass and to make your purchase.

USDA Zone Map For California
California Grass Seed California Zones

Compare Various Grasses For Their Characteristics
Cool Season
Grasses		 Leaf
Texture		 Establish
Rate		 Nitrogen
Use		 Water
Use 		Drought
Tolerance		 Salinity
Tolerance		 Shade
Tolerance
Bentgrass - Creeping Fine Moderate
to Fast		 Low to
Moderate		 High Poor to
Moderate		 High Poor to
Moderate
Bentgrass - Colonial Fine Moderate
to Fast		 Low Moderate Poor to
Moderate		 Moderate Moderate
Bluegrass - Kentucky Moderate
to Fine		 Slow Moderate
to High		 Moderate
to High		 Good Moderate Poor
Bluegrass - Rough Moderate
to Fine		 Slow Moderate
to High		 Moderate
to High		 Poor Moderate Excellent
Fescue - Chewings Fine Moderate Moderate
to Low		 Moderate Good
to Excellent		 Low Excellent
Fescue - Hard Fine Slow to
Moderate		 Low to
Very Low		 Moderate Excellent Low to
Moderate		 Excellent
Fescue - Creeping Fine Moderate Low to
Moderate		 Moderate Good Low Excellent
Fescue - Turf Type Moderate
to Coarse		 Moderate Moderate
to High		 Low to
Moderate		 Excellent Low Good to
Excellent
Ryegrass - Perennial Fine to
Moderate		 Very Fast Moderate
to High		 Moderate
to High		 Good Poor to
Moderate		 Poor to
Moderate
Warm Season
Grasses		 Leaf
Texture		 Establish
Rate		 Nitrogen
Use		 Water
Use 		Drought
Tolerance		 Salinity
Tolerance		 Shade
Tolerance
Bahiagrass Coarse
toVery Coarse		 Slow to
Moderate		 Low Low Excellent Excellent Moderate
to Good
Bermudagrass Fine
to Moderate		 Moderate
to Fast		 Moderate Moderate
to High		 Excellent Very Good Poor
Blue Grama Fine
to Moderate		 Slow to
Moderate		 Low Low Excellent Moderate Very Poor
Buffalograss Moderate
to Coarse		 Slow to
Moderate		 Low Low Excellent Moderate Very Poor
Centipedegrass Moderate
to Coarse		 Slow Low Low Good Moderate Moderate
to Good
Seashore Paspalum Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Excellent Excellent Good
Compare Various Grasses For Their Characteristics - Continued
Cool Season
Grasses		 Fertility
Needs		 Wear
Resistance		 Mowing
Height		 Cold
Tolerance		 Acid Soil
Tolerance 		Thatching
Tendency		 Heat
Tolerance
Bentgrass - Creeping High Low Low Low Medium
to High		 High High
Bentgrass - Colonial High Low Low Low Medium
to High		 High High
Bluegrass - Kentucky Medium Medium
to High		 Medium High Medium Medium Medium
Bluegrass - Rough Medium Medium Medium High Medium Medium Medium
Fescue - Chewings Low Low Medium Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 Low to
Medium		 Low to
Medium
Fescue - Hard Low Low Medium Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 Low to
Medium		 Low to
Medium
Fescue - Creeping Low Low Medium High Medium
to High		 Low to
Medium		 Low to
Medium
Fescue - Turf Type Low to
Medium		 Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 Medium High Low High
Ryegrass - Perennial Medium High Low to
Medium		 Medium Medium Low Medium
to High
Warm Season
Grasses		 Fertility
Needs		 Wear
Resistance		 Mowing
Height		 Cold
Tolerance		 Acid Soil
Tolerance 		Thatching
Tendency		 Heat
Tolerance
Bahiagrass Low Medium
to High		 High Low Low Medium
to High		 High
Bermudagrass Medium High Low to
Medium		 Low to
Medium		 Medium Medium High
Blue Grama Low Low High High Low Low High
Buffalograss Low Low High High Low Low High
Carpetgrass Low Medium
to High		 Low Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 High Low
Centipedegrass Low Low Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 High Medium High
Seashore Paspalum Medium
to High		 Medium
to High		 Low Medium Low Medium
to High		 High

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