Bahiagrass
Paspalum notatum
Deep-rooted and content on poor, dry soil. Cheap to establish from seed, but it throws seed heads readily, so it looks unkempt if left uncut. Suited to slopes and low-input greening.
At a glance
| Family | Poaceae |
|---|---|
| Season type | Warm-season |
| Heat tolerance | ●●●●● |
| Cold tolerance | ●●●●● |
| Shade tolerance | ●●●●● |
| Wear tolerance | ●●●●● |
| Drought tolerance | ●●●●● |
| Mowing height | 50–100 mm |
| Propagation | Seed |
| Upkeep | Low upkeep |
| Native range | Central America, South America |
Growing conditions
| USDA hardiness zones | 7–11 |
|---|---|
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | Low |
| Growth rate | Moderate |
| Soil pH | 5.5–6.5 |
| Common problems | Weed invasion / White grubs / Sod webworm / armyworm |
How to grow it
Climate and sun
A warm-season grass built for poor sandy soil and drought, with roots deep enough that it has long been used on banks and pasture. It is open rather than dense — a grass for holding ground rather than for show. It wants full sun.
Planting
Seed is widely available, which makes it the cheap way to cover a large area. Sow in early summer; germination is slow, two to three weeks.
Watering
Rarely needed. It goes dormant in drought and recovers when the rain returns.
Mowing
Cut at 50–80 mm, once or twice a month. It throws up tough V-shaped seed heads all summer, so keeping it tidy means mowing more often in that stretch.
Feeding
Once a year is plenty. It is not a hungry grass, and extra feeding buys little density.
Problems and winter
Disease is rarely an issue; weeds, white grubs and armyworms are. It browns off and goes dormant in winter, and it is not hardy enough for cold regions.