Zoysia is a tropical grass that has a lot of rave reviews and that has become far less expensive to obtain in the last handful of years. Is it worth the hype and will you like it more than Bermuda, if you do choose to install it? These are questions worth asking before you commit to a complete lawn overhaul or decide to invest in patching up your current lawn.
Comparing Zoysia vs Bermuda Grass
Zoysia vs Bermuda is a choice any lawn owner in need of a new warm-season grass will have to make. Maybe you already have Bermuda and are wondering if zoysiagrass will be an upgrade or if it will fail to thrive in your yard. Or perhaps you have a neighbor with zoysiagrass and you’re wondering if it will take over your lawn. In any case, you can find out how zoysia stacks up against Bermuda, and vice versa, below.
Appearance
Zoysia grass, when fully established as a lawn, produces fine, thickly bunched blades of grass. The blades grow so close together that it is difficult to dig or cut without freshly sharpened tools. This also means that there is rarely a weed in sight if the lawn is kept healthy and well-fed. Each blade grows straight up and is very thin, with a smooth, refined texture. Overall, the grass will be soft and springy.
Bermuda grass has a much more sparse growth habit, compared to Zoysia. Like St. Augustine grass, Bermuda spreads easily and quickly by producing both rhizomes and stolons. These both reach out above ground or underground and spread to a nearby patch of soil, producing another “core” clump of grass. These clumps will start out about 6 to 12 inches apart and will gradually produce blades along the stolons or rhizomes, leading to a “matted” appearance at the root level.
The blades themselves will stand up with a slight angle. The blades may appear flat or slightly bowed. Near the base of each blade, around the leaf sheath, there will be many small hairs. The Bermuda grass will appear medium to dark green, when healthy, and feel coarse to the touch. The turf will have less give than a zoysiagrass lawn, too.
Best Uses for Zoysia Grass and Bermuda Grass
Zoysiagrass is best used in a sunny, hot location with little to no shade and hard borders like walkways and steel edging surrounding the lawn. While traffic should be discouraged when possible for the first year or two of growing, zoysia can hold up to a lot once it has had a chance to establish itself. Zoysia should not be planted where it may need to be dug up in the near future.
Bermuda grass is versatile, great for sandy soils, and can be grown in many different situations, as long as winters are short and mild. While still preferring full sun, Bermuda grass can handle partial shade. It’s easy to dig through and requires less maintenance than zoysia. However, this also means that Bermuda grass is less resilient to damage from foot traffic and animals so a low-traffic lawn would be best.
Soil Types and pH Needs of Zoysia Grass and Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass prefers sandy, well-drained soil. Any hard soil or soils containing mostly clay will be difficult for Bermuda grass to do well in. A slightly acidic to neutral pH is also ideal for Bermuda grass. This means that the ideal pH for a Bermuda grass lawn is 6 to 7, with a pH of 5.5 being acceptable. A pH higher than 7 may lead to stalled or slow growth.
Zoysiagrass will tolerate less range when it comes to pH. It will only grow best with a pH of 6.5 to 7 (neutral). Anything lower than 6 or higher than 7 can result in zoysia losing its color or failing to thrive when exposed to pests or disease. Zoysia prefers damp, hot soil or sandy soil with regular watering. It does best in areas with high humidity.
Water Needs for Zoysia Grass vs Bermuda Grass
Zoysiagrass needs 1” of water per week, which is about the average for all popular warm-season grass types. Zoysia tolerates wet soil better and for longer than Bermuda will, as long as there is no pooling or standing water.
Bermuda grass will not tolerate any standing water or residual dampness. If excess water remains in the soil around the roots of Bermuda grass for more than 2 days, the grass will likely develop root rot. This is not easy to come back from. To combat this, ensure that the soil drains well. I would also recommend withholding water the day before a strong rainstorm if more than 2 inches is expected. On average, Bermuda grass needs 1” to 1.5” of water per week.
Sun, Shade, and Temperature Requirements for Zoysia Grass and Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass and zoysia both have a strong preference for full sun. Bermuda grass can tolerate slightly more shade than zoysia, but more than about 5 hours of partial shade a day may lead to the Bermuda grass dying back or thinning out where the shade begins.
To thrive, Zoysia needs hot weather as well as full sun. If temperatures drop below 55F for more than a night, zoysiagrass will go dormant and stop growing. As the temperature approaches freezing, Zoysia will begin to die off. This is why zoysiagrass should only be used in zones 8 and above. Unlike most other grasses, Zoysia is unlikely to go dormant during periods of high heat (temperatures above 100F) and it will grow its best at around 85F to 90F.
Bermuda grass, though also a warm-season grass, will go dormant in very hot weather as well as cold weather. However, Bermuda will retain its color in temperatures as low as 45F and continue to grow at temperatures as low as 55F, only going dormant as temperatures dip below freezing. Bermuda will grow its best at around 80F and may go dormant in high heat, even if extra water is provided and the grass is left long.
Durability of Zoysia Grass or Bermuda Grass Lawns
When it comes down to the durability of zoysia vs Bermuda grass, zoysia wins by a landslide. While it takes time and care to get going, zoysia is almost impossible to remove once it has settled into a yard. Bermuda, on the other hand, can be removed easily if it gets too much rain or is consistently overwatered.
Beyond this, zoysia is a thicker turf type. It can handle greater foot traffic than Bermuda and will fill in faster if a section of it is removed. It is also more difficult to “scalp” when mowing and rarely will it become diseased if mown with dull blades.
Common Pests and Diseases for Zoysia Grass Lawns and Bermuda Grass Lawns
Bermuda grass has all of the common lawn problems you might expect. Digging pets or other animals can easily cause harm and holes in the turf. Too much water will lead to root rot as well as mold, mildew, and fungus-related diseases. Bermuda grass is more susceptible to these moisture-related problems than other warm-season grass alternatives, including zoysia.
Zoysia can be attacked by insects like grubs, webworms, thrips, and beetles though the thick sod will make these insects less likely to colonize a zoysiagrass lawn- if it’s in good condition. The only diseases zoysia is particularly susceptible to result from thatch buildup. If thatch is allowed to accumulate to a thickness of 1” or more, it can lead to severe mold, mildew, and fungus problems. These problems can then rot the grass from the roots up and produce an unpleasant smell that’s hard to get rid of.
Mowing Needs of Zoysia Grass vs Bermuda Grass Lawns
Zoysiagrass needs a lot more maintenance than Bermuda grass will. Zoysia should be mown low to a height of only 1”, even in the hottest weather. It will likely need to be mown once a week at a minimum throughout the summer and fall seasons. Beyond mowing, zoysia will produce enough thatch that complete dethatching may need to be done as often as 4 times a year.
Bermuda grass is much less labor-intensive by comparison. Bermuda needs to be mown to an average of 2” but can be left a little longer in hot weather (above 90F) to conserve water. It will need to be mown about once a week in summer, possibly less in other seasons, depending on what your exact climate is.
Types of Grass Related to Zoysia Grass
The zoysia grass type being profiled here as well as the most common type for use in commercial or residential lawn projects in the US is “Zoysia japonica”. This is one of three cultivated types of zoysiagrass. The other two cultivars are only suitable for tropical and coastal regions. They require much more water and far hotter average temperatures to thrive.
Types of Grass Related to Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is in a class of its own, with many strains of Bermuda grass available as well as “natural” or “wild” Bermudagrass. These different strains or cultivars each have special characteristics that are often selected for the region in which they are sold. Local seeds suppliers may carry varieties that are more resistant to root rot, keep their color better in hot weather, or are less likely to tear with consistent foot traffic.
Zoysia vs Bermuda Cost
Bermuda grass is far cheaper to plant and maintain than zoysiagrass. Bermuda can be planted from seeds or stolons with strong results and it will cover a yard in half the time a similar planting of zoysia will.
Zoysia must be planted from sod cuttings or plugs. These are typically planted 6 to 8” apart and will take as long as 2 full years to completely establish within a yard.
Can You Mix Zoysia and Bermuda Grass?
Mixing zoysia and Bermuda grasses is not something I would recommend. These two grass types do not mix well with any other perennial type of grass, let alone each other. If you do end up mixing them, the zoysia would likely overtake the Bermuda within 3 years, but both would struggle in the meantime. A stressed lawn isn’t the most visually appealing.
The Best-Case-Scenario for a Zoysia Grass or a Bermuda Grass Lawn
If you want a soft lawn that keeps weeds out, zoysia is a great variety to choose. It takes more looking after than Bermuda but the color and texture are hard to beat. It can take some time to establish itself but if you want a lawn with little other landscaping, few kinds of grass will leave as strong an impression as zoysiagrass.
Bermuda grass is for use in a sunny lawn, over soil that’s sandy, and in a climate where temperatures get hot and stay hot for most of the year. It takes less time to mow and is, in turn, less resilient to zoysia but it has a nice deep green color and makes it easy to change up your landscaping when you want to.
Summarizing the Zoysia Grass vs Bermuda Grass Debate
Below I’ve prepped a little table to quickly highlight how these two lawn grasses measure up across a number of key areas. Hope it helps!
| Grass Type | Zoysia Grass | Bermuda Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Deep Green with Smooth, Fine Blades | Dark Green with a Coarse Texture – Small Hairs on Leaf Sheath - Stolons |
| Popular Uses | Lawns Where It Can Be Well Contained – Fairways and Teeing Areas for Golf Courses | Warm to Hot Climate with Average Traffic |
| Ideal Soil Type and pH | Well-Drained, Moist Soil is Ideal – 6 to 6.5 Ideal pH | Well-Drained and Rich Soil is Ideal - 6 to 7 Ideal pH |
| Water Requirements | 1” of Water Per Week – Average Overall Water Consumption | 1” to 1.5” of Water Per Week – Average Overall Water Consumption |
| Sun/Shade/Temperature Needs | Full Sun Necessary - Dormant at 55F | Full Sun Required – True Dormancy at 32F – Stopped Growth Below 55F |
| Durability | Excellent Durability and Damage Recovery Once Established | Average Durability and Recovery Rate |
| Pests and Diseases | Fungus, Mildew, and Mold (Often Exacerbated by Thatch) – Beetles, Thrips, Grubs, Webworms | Mold, Mildew, Moss, and Algae if Too Moist – Webworms, Thrips, Grubs – Digging Animals |
| Mowing Needs | Should Be Mown to 1” Height – Dethatch Frequently (as often as 4x per year) | Should Be Mown to 1.5” to 2.5” On Average – Grows Best in Warm to Hot Weather |
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