The first step when dealing with lawn problems and maintenance practices is knowing your grass type. This is because of the wide available turf varieties in America and worldwide. Remember, varied grass types require different lawn care practices. So, in this article, you’ll learn how to identify buffalo grass, the key traits, and how to tell what grass you have. Keep reading.
You can identify buffalo grass in your lawn as it’s a warm-season grass whose primary color is green with bluish-grey hints. The leaves have midribs running in the middle, and the blades are short, curled, broad, thin, and pointed. The grass spreads by above-ground runners or stolons, which are dark brown. These grass seed heads are flattened and rigid, with the seeds aligned to one side.
What Does Buffalo Grass Look Like?
Are you struggling to distinguish buffalo grass from the rest? Here are the 4 main identifiers:
1. Color
There are different varieties of buffalo grass, and they have varied colors. For instance, Sir Walter buffalo grass is deep green, but this turf’s primary color is green with bluish-grey hints. The leaves of healthy buffalo grass have no yellow or red color, but the turf turns brown during winter.
2. Leaves
Buffalo grass leaf blades are short, curled, broad, pointed, and thin. Additionally, the leaves have midribs running from end to end in the middle. Their buds are also rolled, and they lack auricles.
3. Stolons
This grass type is low-growing and spreads by stolons or above-ground runners. These runners are dark-brown or reddish.
4. Seed heads
Buffalo grass seed heads are flattened and rigid, and the grass seeds are aligned on one side. These grass lawn seeds propagate and spread via stolons to form a thick rugged deep green mat.
Buffalo Grass Key Traits
Here are the various key traits you can identify buffalo grass with;
- Requires low-maintenance practices
- The grass is weed resistant
- It propagates and spreads quickly
- Buffalo grass is highly shade-tolerant
- Flourishes with little fertilizer
- It requires less water and mowing
- The grass is drought and heat-resistant
- Can withstand high foot traffic
How to Tell What Grass I Have
These are the ways you can identify the grass type in your lawn;
i. Color
You’ll know your lawn is Zoysia or Centipede if its color is light to medium green. Buffalo grass is green with bluish-grey hints, while Kentucky bluegrass is dark green.
ii. Appearance
Zoysia turf leaf blades are medium-sized with pointed tips, while St. Augustine has wide edges and rounded tips. Bermuda grass leaf blades appear moderately thin, while those of Bahia grass are very thin with pointed ends.
iii. Tolerance
Bermuda, Bahia, and Zoysia grass types tolerate foot traffic, heat, and drought. However, they cannot tolerate shade. Although St. Augustine cannot handle high foot traffic, it does well in extreme heat and shade.
iv. Growth rate
St. Augustine and Bermuda grass grows and spreads aggressively, while Zoysia and Centipede grass grows slowly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is buffalo grass soft?
A: Yes, buffalo grass is a soft, warm-season, and low-maintenance turf type that thrives in the Great Plains, the West, and the Southwest.
Q: What is different about buffalo lawn?
A: Buffalo grasses have broad leaves, hence more drought and shade-tolerant than other turf varieties. This means that the grass captures and stores more sunlight making its photosynthesis process better than other turf types.
Final Thoughts
It’s advisable to determine the type of grass in your yard to know the best maintenance practices.
So, if you’re wondering how to identify buffalo grass lawns, its primary color is green with bluish-grey hints. Its leaves have midribs running in the middle, and the blades are short, curled, broad, thin, and pointed.
The grass spreads by above-ground runners or stolons, which are dark brown. These grass seed heads are flattened and rigid, with the seeds aligned to one side. It differs from other turf types as it has broad leaves, making it more drought and shade-tolerant.
