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8 Types of Grass in Ohio – Top Choices For Your Lawn (With Pictures)
Pete Ortiz
Last updated:
If you want to refresh your garden with a beautiful, polished turf but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve narrowed down the best options for a stunning Ohio lawn. Since every garden lover has specific needs, and every garden requires the right grass to thrive, you will need to pick the correct type for your area. Read through the end of this article to find out which kind of grass is ideal for your lawn as well as the different methods of proper maintenance.
The 8 Types of Grass in Ohio Are:
1. Perennial Ryegrass
Botanical name
Lolium perenne
Type of grass
Cool-season lawn grass
Native to
Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, southern Europe
Perennial Ryegrass is a specific type of perennial grass with many unique characteristics such as adapting quickly to any environment. It has a lasting dark green color, and it is ideal for residential lawns, gardens, parks, and sporting fields. Because of its fine texture, Perennial Ryegrass has the possibility of becoming a high-quality lawn. It is known as a nurse grass because of its unique ability to grow fast and act as a shelter for other slow-growing plants.
Pros
Grows fully in about 21 days
Low-maintenance
Resistant to insects and diseases
Produces large amounts of seed
Cons
Sometimes forms in clumps and patchy spots
Cannot survive severe winters
May not thrive in shady areas
2. Kentucky Bluegrass
Botanical name
Poa pratensis
Type of grass
Cool-season lawn grass
Native to
Europe and northern Asia
Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season premier lawn grass that is perennial. It grows well year-round but the most rapid growth occurs during the chilly seasons of fall and spring. This type of grass is ideal for any lawn and is loved by many gardeners. Kentucky bluegrass has more shallow roots than other grasses, which means it might not be tolerant of heat and drought. Unlike other grasses, Kentucky bluegrass requires regular maintenance, which will pay off in the long run since this grass creates a thick, rich, and long-lasting lawn.
Pros
Able to withstand cold winters
Grows a luscious, dense lawn
High-quality perennial
Cons
May be vulnerable to stress damage
May be susceptible to heat and drought
High-maintenance
3. Tall Fescue
Botanical name
Festuca arundinacea
Type of grass
Cool-season perennial grass
Native to
Europe
Tall Fescue is one of the most popular cool-season grasses. It is valued for its ability to adapt to most environments, as it requires minimum maintenance and has a high tolerance for extreme temperatures. Tall fescue matures into lovely thick grass if properly managed and under the right conditions. These grasses may grow in a variety of soil types. Tall Fescue is pretty easy to develop into a healthy lawn since it requires only occasional mowing and watering.
Pros
High drought and heat tolerance
Can thrive in shaded areas
Disease resistant
Cons
Cannot self-repair that well
May be vulnerable to brown patch disease
4. Fine Fescue
Botanical name
Festuca arundinacea
Type of grass
Cool-season perennial
Native to
Europe
Fine Fescue is a cool-season turfgrass that creates a thick, elevated turf with a soft texture and a rich green hue. It’s most famous for its outstanding shade adaptation and extremely thin blades that cannot withstand the summer heat if planted in full sun. Instead of being flat, the blades typically appear to be coiled like a spring. Fine Fescue can be divided into four sub-species: Chewings Fescue, Creeping Red Fescue, Hard Fescue, and Sheep Fescue.
Pros
Requires very low watering and fertilizer
Grows well in acidic soils
Can thrive in shaded and dry conditions
Cons
Requires well-drained soil
Not very heat tolerant
5. Buffalograss
Botanical name
Bouteloua dactyloides
Type of grass
Warm-season, perennial grass
Native to
Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Buffalograss is a warm-season perennial turf grass with soft and velvety, green-blue curled leaves. Growing a Buffalograss lawn can be a time-consuming process, but Buffalograss can thrive without much water and adapt to many different conditions once established. Buffalograss grows mainly in May and September, but it can thrive in colder climates even though it is a warm-season grass. This grass may turn brown when there are extended periods of drought but still maintains dense, carpet-like foliage.
Pros
Drought-resistant
Heat tolerant
Low-maintenance
Adaptable to cold weather conditions
Cons
It may appear messy even when maintained properly
Cannot thrive in sandy soil
It loses the green color in winter
6. Bentgrass
Botanical name
Agrostis
Type of grass
Cool-season, perennial grass
Native to
Eurasia and northern Africa
Bentgrass, often called Creeping Bentgrass, is a cold-season perennial grass that grows quickly in cold and damp environments. Bentgrass forms a thick mat with delicate, bluish-green leaves. It flourishes in chilly conditions such as those found in northern regions and struggles in hot climates. Because of its low mowing tolerance, this perennial creeping grass is usually used for domestic lawns, although you may also find it on golf courses.
Pros
Grows quickly
Attractive
Low-mowing tolerance
Cons
Shallow roots make it susceptible to drought
High maintenance
It may be vulnerable to high temperatures
7. Rough Bluegrass
Botanical name
Poa trivialis
Type of grass
Cool-season, perennial grass
Native to
Eurasia
Rough Bluegrass is a cold-season perennial grass native to Eurasia but familiar to the United States as an ornamental grass. The yellowish-green leaves are soft and velvety to the touch and have a narrow, boat-shaped tip. Although this grass is usually considered a weed that some people try to get rid of, it can be maintained to grow beautiful dense foliage if it is grown as an ornamental meadow grass.
Pros
Handles low temperatures well
Grows quickly without losing control
Can thrive in shaded areas
Can thrive in poorly-drained soil
Cons
Shallow root system
Does not thrive in high temperatures
Requires regular watering
Requires rich soil to thrive
8. Zoysiagrass
Botanical name
Zoysia
Type of grass
Warm-weather grass
Native to
Asia
The Zoysiagrass is a warm-season turf that produces a lush, beautiful lawn in the spring and summer. The foliage of this grass is coated in vibrant colors of emerald, creating a carpet-like effect in your garden. This resistant grass can provide a lovely, thick lawn if grown in the right conditions. Where you reside, your lawn care goals, and how you use your lawn will all influence whether Zoysia is suited for you. When those factors combine with Zoysia’s abilities, this adaptable lawn grass may be an ideal option for you.
Which type of grass is the best choice for an Ohio lawn?
When making a decision on which grass is ideal for your garden, you will have to keep in mind the purpose that this grass will have in your garden. The grass will have to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. You will have to decide between warm-season and cool-season grass. For Ohio, it is recommended to use a cool-season type of grass, while you may use even a warm-season type in your garden. When planting warm-season grass, keep in mind that the proper air and soil temperatures will have to be provided for your grass to grow healthy.
Because each grass has its unique strengths and weaknesses, it would be ideal to create a blend of grasses that meet your needs best. If you choose the right combination of grass and maintain them properly, you can grow healthy and dense foliage suitable for any Ohio landscape.
This list is here to serve as a guide for all those garden lovers looking to add some charm to their landscape with a beautiful, dense turf. Before planting the grass of your choice, make sure it is the ideal solution for you by researching its characteristics and features while using our article as a guide for a perfect lawn.
Pete has been working in the trades since high school, where he first developed a passion for woodworking. Over the years, he has developed a keen interest in a wide variety of DIY projects around the home. Fascinated by all sort of tools, Pete loves reading and writing about all the latest gadgets and accessories that hit the market. His other interests include astronomy, hiking, and fishing.
As the founder of House Grail, Pete's primary goal is to help consumers make educated decisions about DIY projects at home, in the garage, and in the garden.