Question: What is the best lawngrass?

Answer: We do not have a perfect turfgrass. Common bermuda is the most popular. It’s inexpensive to plant, durable and pest-resistant. It holds up well to pedestrian traffic, and you can use a variety of weedkillers to eliminate invaders. St. Augustine has a brighter green appearance and it grows better in shady conditions. It is not as invasive into flowerbeds as bermuda, but it’s not as winter-hardy. It also must be planted from sod or plugs. Hybrid bermudas are beautiful, but they’re high-maintenance. Buffalograss is drought-tolerant, but it is usually overtaken by bermuda (no chemical control is available). Fescues don’t do well with the Texas summer heat in most areas. Zoysias probably offer the best hope over the next several decades. New varieties are being tested and introduced each year. They are, in many respects, intermediate to bermuda and St. Augustine in texture, height and shade tolerance.