How Can I Tell What Type Of Grass I Have

If you’re looking out at your lawn and wondering, “how can i tell what type of grass i have,” you’re not alone. Identifying your lawn variety is the first step to giving it the perfect care it needs.

Different grasses have different needs for water, mowing, and sun. Knowing what you have helps you stop guessing and start growing a healthier, greener lawn.

You can figure out your grass type by looking at a few key features. It’s like being a detective in your own yard. The main clues are the grass blade’s shape, its growth pattern, and the climate you live in.

Grab a notepad and a magnifying glass if you have one. Let’s go outside and look closely at your lawn.

1. Look at the Grass Blade Shape and Tip

The shape of the blade is a great starting point. Carefully pull a single grass blade, making sure you get the whole leaf.

Fine Texture vs. Broad Texture: Feel the blade between your fingers. Fine fescues feel soft and thin. Grasses like St. Augustine or tall fescue have much wider, coarser blades.
Blade Tip Shape: Is the tip pointed like a knife, rounded, or boat-shaped? Kentucky bluegrass has a distinctive boat-shaped tip. Many other grasses have sharp, pointed tips.
Blade Edges (Vernation): Look at a new, young shoot. Are the leaves folded flat like a fan (folded vernation), or are they rolled into a tube-like shape (rolled vernation)? This is a technical but very reliable clue.

2. Check the Growth Pattern (Stolons vs. Rhizomes)

This is one of the most important steps. How does your grass spread to fill in bare spots? You might need to gently dig at the edge of a healthy patch.

Rhizomes: These are underground stems. Grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass spread using rhizomes. They create a dense, tightly knit turf that can repair itself.
Stolons: These are above-ground runners. St. Augustine and centipede grass spread by sending out these surface stems that root as they go. You can often see them on the soil surface.
Bunch-Type Growth: Grasses like tall fescue and perennial ryegrass grow in clumps or bunches. They don’t have runners, so they spread slowly from seed. Bare spots between bunches are common.

3. Examine the Seed Head (If Present)

If your grass has gone to seed, the seed head is a fantastic identifier. They appear when the grass is tall and hasn’t been mowed for a while.

Bermudagrass has a seed head with 3-5 finger-like branches.
Crabgrass (a weed, but often confused) has finger-like branches that spread from a single point.
Annual bluegrass has a distinctive triangular-shaped seed head.

Quick Color and Seasonal Clues

Color isn’t always reliable, but it can help. Some grasses have a distinctive blue-green hue (like Kentucky bluegrass). Others are a brighter, lime green (like centipede grass). Also note when your grass looks its best. Cool-season grasses are green in spring and fall but may brown in summer heat. Warm-season grasses thrive in summer but go dormant and brown in winter.

Use Your Geographic Location as a Guide

Your location narrows down the possibilities dramatically. Lawns are generally planted with grasses suited to the local climate.

Cool-Season Grasses: Thrive in northern zones with cold winters and moderate summers. Common types: Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, Fine Fescue, Tall Fescue.
Warm-Season Grasses: Thrive in southern zones with hot summers and mild winters. Common types: Bermudagrass, Zoysia Grass, St. Augustine Grass, Centipede Grass.
Transition Zone Grasses: The middle of the country is tricky. Grasses like Tall Fescue, Zoysia, and Bermudagrass are often used here because they handle both heat and cold reasonably well.

Step-by-Step Identification Process

Follow these steps in order to make your identification easier.

Pick a Sample: Choose a healthy, representative section of your lawn. Don’t pick from the edge or a shady corner, as growth might be different there.
Observe the Whole Lawn: Note the overall texture, color, and growth habit from a distance. Is it uniformly thick, or patchy with clumps?
Inspect a Single Blade: Use the blade shape, tip, and texture details from above. Feel it and look at its edges closely.
Check the Base: Gently part the grass and look at the soil level. Can you see any above-ground runners (stolons)? Can you gently tug and find underground stems (rhizomes)?
Compare to Resources: Use a reliable online guide from a university extension service. They have detailed pictures and charts. Take photos of your blade, tip, and growth pattern to compare.

Common Lawn Grass Profiles

Here’s a quick guide to the most common lawn grasses and there key traits.

Kentucky Bluegrass

Blade: Soft, V-shaped (boat-shaped tip), medium width.
Growth: Spreads by rhizomes. Forms a dense, lush carpet.
Climate: Cool-season. Prefers full sun.
Key ID: That boat-shaped tip is a dead giveaway.

Tall Fescue

Blade: Very wide, coarse texture with pronounced veins.
Growth: Bunch-type. Does not spread by runners, so it can get clumpy.
Climate: Cool-season, but heat-tolerant. Good for transition zones.
Key ID: Wide blades and clumpy growth pattern.

Bermudagrass

Blade: Fine to medium texture, usually hairy near the base.
Growth: Spreads aggressively by both stolons and rhizomes.
Climate: Warm-season. Loves heat and full sun.
Key ID: Very aggressive growth, fine texture, and it goes fully dormant (brown) in winter.

St. Augustine Grass

Blade: Very broad, coarse, and spongy to walk on.
Growth: Spreads by thick, above-ground stolons.
Climate: Warm-season. Tolerates shade and salt well.
Key ID: Broad blades and those thick, surface runners you can’t miss.

Zoysia Grass

Blade: Stiff, fine to medium texture. Feels prickly or wiry.
Growth: Spreads by stolons and rhizomes, but very slowly. Forms a very dense mat.
Climate: Warm-season. Good heat and drought tolerance.
Key ID: Stiff, wiry feel and extremely slow, dense growth.

What to Do If Your Lawn Has Multiple Grass Types

Most lawns aren’t pure. It’s very common to have a mix, especially in older lawns. You might have Kentucky bluegrass with some perennial ryegrass, or bermuda that’s invaded a tall fescue lawn.

Identify the dominant grass type—the one that covers most of the area. Base your overall care plan on that variety. Don’t worry about eradicating every blade of a different type unless it’s an invasive weed grass like crabgrass or quackgrass.

Tools and Resources to Help You

You don’t need fancy tools, but these can help.

Magnifying Glass: For seeing blade edges and tiny hairs.
Gardening Trowel: To gently dig and check for rhizomes.
Smartphone Camera: Take clear, close-up photos to compare online.
Local County Extension Office: They are the best free resource. You can often email them photos for help.

FAQ: Identifying Your Lawn Variety

Q: Can I use a plant ID app to identify my grass?
A: You can try, but they are often inaccurate for grasses. The differences are subtle. Use an app as a starting guess, but verify with the physical clues like growth pattern.

Q: What if my grass doesn’t match any description perfectly?
A: It might be a specific cultivar or a blend. Focus on the growth pattern (stolon/rhizome/bunch) and climate match. That will tell you how to care for it, even if you don’t know the exact name.

Q: Why does knowing my grass type matter so much?
A: Mowing height, watering needs, and fertilizer timing vary greatly. For example, cutting St. Augustine too short will damage it, while Bermuda needs a very low cut. Knowing prevents costly mistakes.

Q: Should I take a sample to a garden center?
A: Yes, this can be helpful. Take a good-sized sample, including roots and runners, in a plastic bag. Staff at a local, independent garden center are often very knowledgeable.

Q: How do I identify grass versus a grassy weed?
A: Look for uniformity. Lawn grass usually has a consistent color and texture in a large area. Weeds often grow in a different pattern (like a circular patch) or have a distinctly different color or texture than the surrounding grass. Crabgrass, for instance, has much wider blades and a low, spreading habit compared to most lawn grasses.

Figuring out your grass type might take a little patience, but it’s worth the effort. Once you know, you can tailor your watering, mowing, and feeding to create a lawn that’s not just green, but truly thriving. Start with the blade and the growth habit, and you’ll be on the right track.