Lawn grasses are categorized into three unlike group , including nerveless time of year , warm time of year and transition . The Mary Jane types contained in each group have their own clime preferences and growing abilities according to temperature . The U.S. Department of Agriculture divides the United States into 11 different plant hardiness zones , based on each zone ’s minimal yearly temperatures . The zones straddle from the coldest region ( zona 1 ) to the hottest ( zona 11 ) with 10 - degree temperature growth break each geographical zone from the next one . These zona are not the same as indicated on some " grass zone maps , " which is crucial to have it off when choose a turfgrass .
Best Grass Types by USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 1 and 2
USDA hardiness zone 1 and 2 play the cold zone in the United States , with minimal wintertime temperatures strike below -45 stage Fahrenheit . These zones are found throughout Alaska where growing recurrent turfgrasses is dispute , since Zone 3 typically is the insensate zone that supports repeated turfgrasses ; however , many cold-blooded - tolerant sess can be produce as annuals .
Two mintage of bluegrass are wintertime - Oliver Hardy to geographical zone 3 , which means that they may also live winters in certain microclimates across zones 1 and 2 . Both Kentucky blue grass ( Poa pratensis ) and rough bluegrass ( Poa trivialis ) are perennials in zone 3 through 7 .
In addition , three metal money of fescue are wintertime - hardy to zone 3 , which means they may also subsist the winter across some microclimates in zone 1 and 2 : o.k. fescue ( Festuca spp . ) Chewing ’s fescue ( Festuca rubra subsp . commutata ) and creeping flushed fescue ( Festuca rubra ) are perennial in zones 3 through 7 . Grow these turfgrasses as annuals in zones 1 and 2 where they do not survive the wintertime .
USDA Zone 3
USDA geographical zone 3 ( minimum temperatures of -30 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit ) include lowly northmost portions of Maine , Vermont , New York , Wisconsin , Minnesota and Montana , as well as most of North Dakota and small , high - elevation portion of Wyoming , Colorado and Idaho . The best lawn Gunter Wilhelm Grass eccentric for zone 3 are the ace remark above for zone 1 and 2 . Other option include blue gramma grass ( Bouteloua gracilis , zones 3 - 10 ) and creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis palustris , zone 3 - 6 )
USDA Zone 4
USDA Hardiness Zone 4 ( -20 to -30 degree Fahrenheit ) encompasses the middle regions of Maine and New York , most of New Hampshire , Vermont , Wyoming , South Dakota , Montana and Wisconsin , the northerly one-half of Iowa and Nebraska , the northmost tip of Michigan , large parts of Colorado and Idaho , as well as belittled mountainous areas of New Mexico , Nevada and Oregon .
Grass type that grow well in Zone 4 include the ace note above for zones 1 through 3 plus coolheaded - season buffalo grass ( Bouteloua dactyloides , zone 4 - 8) , magniloquent fescue ( Lolium arundinaceum , zones 4 - 7 ) and timothy grass ( Phleum pratense , zones 4 - 8) . Even though timothy Gunter Grass is grown as a eatage crop , it ’s also a right lawn grass . TheUSDAnotes that timothy can withstand being case in ice , which take it particularly wintertime - hardy .
USDA Zones 5 and 6
USDA zones 5 and 6 ( 0 to -20 degree Fahrenheit ) let in the southerly part of Maine , Vermont , New Hampshire , New York , Michigan , Iowa and Nebraska , the lower - elevation luck of Colorado , most of inland Washington and Oregon , most of Nevada and Utah , northern Arizona , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Arkansas , Tennessee and Virginia , as well as all of Kansas , Missouri , Illinois , Indiana , Ohio , Kentucky , West Virginia , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , Rhode Island and Massachusetts .
Added to the said grasses that are wintertime - audacious in colder zones , the best lawn green goddess for zona 5 and 6 let in recurrent rye grass ( Lolium perenne , zone 5 - 7 ) and zoysia grass ( Zoysia spp . , zones 5 - 7 ) . The only caution is that some zoysia grasses are n’t appropriate for the northmost parts of Zone 5 . Unlike the other supergrass , zoysia pasture is a strong - time of year species that is medium- to fine - textured and high - alimony .
USDA Zone 7
Zone 7 ( 0 to 10 degree Fahrenheit ) includes most of Virginia and North Carolina , southern parts of Tennessee , Oklahoma and New Mexico , northern South Carolina , Georgia , Alabama , Mississippi , Arkansas and Texas , as well as small region of Arizona , Utah , Nevada , California , Oregon and Washington .
With the exception of creeping bentgrass , all the other said grasses grow well in geographical zone 7 , in gain to bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum , zones 7 - 11 ) , bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon , zones 7 - 10 ) and centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides , zones 7 - 9 ) . Centipede and bahia grasses are coarse - textured and create low - maintenance lawn , while many types of bermudagrass are finely - textured with a temperate maintenance layer .
USDA Zone 8
USDA Hardiness Zone 8 ( 10 to 20 degree Fahrenheit ) admit coastal North Carolina , central to southern South Carolina , New Mexico , Washington and Oregon , southerly Nevada , Arizona , Arkansas , Mississippi , Alabama , Georgia and Texas , most of Louisiana , northerly Florida , as well as many parts of California .
With the exclusion of creeping bentgrass , bluegrass , fescue and recurrent ryegrass , all the other aforementioned grasses arise well in zone 8 , in addition to St. Augustine grass ( Stenotaphrum secundatum , zone 8 - 10 ) . St. Augustine grass is coarse , with the exception of some cultivars that have a fine grain , and it has a temperate care level . Typically , St. Augustine forage is grown from sod , not seed .
USDA Zones 9 and 10
geographical zone 9 and 10 ( 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit ) include most of California , southerly Arizona , the southernmost parts of Texas and Louisiana , most of Florida , as well as parts of Hawaii .
The best lawn grasses for these zone are blue gramma grass , bahiagrass , bermudagrass , St. Augustine grass and zoysia Gunter Wilhelm Grass .
USDA Zone 11
Zone 11 ( 40 grade Fahrenheit or warmer ) includes nearly all parts of the Hawaiian islands . The best lawn grass choices for Zone 11 are the bahiagrasses . TheClemson Cooperative Extensiondescribes bahiagrass as a matt - make , coarse - textured grass . It ’s particularly well - fit to the tropical climate in zone 11 because it is aboriginal to South America .
