Types Of Grass In Tennessee

If you’re planning a lawn or landscape in Tennessee, knowing your grass types is key to success. The climate here supports a range of types of grass in Tennessee, both native and ornamental varieties. Choosing the right one means considering your soil, sunlight, and how much maintenance you want to do.

This guide will help you pick the perfect grass for your yard. We’ll look at tough native grasses and beautiful ornamental picks. You’ll get clear advice to make your lawn thrive.

Tennessee sits in a transition zone. This means both cool-season and warm-season grasses can grow here, but timing is everything. Your local conditions—like clay soil in Middle TN or the hills in the east—play a huge role.

Native Grasses for Tennessee Lawns

Native grasses are adapted to our local climate and pests. They often need less water and fertilizer once established. Here are some top native choices:

Buffalograss: A fine-textured, warm-season grass. It’s incredibly drought-tolerant and forms a dense, low-growing turf. Perfect for full sun areas with minimal foot traffic.
Blue Grama: Known for its distinctive seed heads that look like eyelashes. It handles poor soils and dry conditions very well, making it a good low-maintenance option.
Little Bluestem: Often used in ornamental plantings and meadows. This bunchgrass provides great winter interest with its reddish-tan color and is excellent for erosion control.

These grasses support local wildlife and usually have deeper roots. That helps them survive our occasional dry spells better than non-native types.

Popular Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses add movement, texture, and color to your garden. They are not for lawns but for landscaping beds. They’re generally easy to care for and provide year-round structure.

Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis): A cool-season grass that shoots up early. Its vertical growth and feathery plumes add elegance, and it stands up well in our winters.
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum): A warm-season favorite with arching leaves and bottlebrush flowers. It loves heat and comes in varieties like ‘Hameln’ or the purple ‘Fireworks’.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum): A native that doubles as an ornamental. Tall and airy, cultivars like ‘Northwind’ or ‘Shenandoah’ offer strong form and stunning fall color.
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa): Prefers shade and moist soil, which is great for tricky spots. Its cascading, bright green or variegated leaves brighten up dark corners.

Best Lawn Grasses for Tennessee

For a traditional lawn, these grasses are the most reliable performers across the state. They balance beauty with durability.

Tall Fescue

This is the top choice for most of Tennessee, especially in the cooler middle and eastern parts. It’s a cool-season grass with a deep root system.

Pros: Stays green much of the year, tolerates shade fairly well, and handles foot traffic. It’s also more drought-resistant than other cool-season grasses.
Cons: Can form clumps if not seeded densely, and may need overseeding in fall to maintain thickness.
Care: Mow high, around 3-4 inches. Water deeply but infrequently to encourage those deep roots.

Zoysia Grass

A warm-season grass that creates a dense, carpet-like lawn. It thrives in the heat of summer in Middle and West Tennessee.

Pros: Very drought-tolerant once established, chokes out weeds, and feels great underfoot.
Cons: Turns brown after the first hard frost and stays dormant until late spring. It can be slow to establish and recover from damage.
Care: Mow lower than fescue, between 1-2.5 inches. It needs less frequent mowing due to slow growth.

Bermuda Grass

Another warm-season grass, best for full-sun, high-traffic areas in the warmer parts of the state.

Pros: Extremely wear-tolerant, recovers quickly, and loves the sun and heat.
Cons: Aggressively spreads into flower beds, needs lots of sun, and goes dormant early in fall.
Care: Requires regular fertilization during summer and can be mowed very short for a golf-course look.

Kentucky Bluegrass

A cool-season grass sometimes used in mixes for its beautiful color and texture. It performs best in East Tennessee’s higher elevations.

Pros: Soft texture, rich green color, and spreads to repair itself.
Cons: Needs more water and fertilizer than fescue, and struggles in the heat and humidity of a Tennessee summer.
Care: Keep it well-watered during summer dry spells and mow at a medium height.

How to Choose the Right Grass for Your Yard

Follow these steps to make the best choice for your specific situation. It’ll save you time and money in the long run.

Check Your Sunlight: Watch your yard for a full day. Does the lawn area get more than 6 hours of sun (full sun), 3-6 hours (partial shade), or less than 3 hours (full shade)? Zoysia and Bermuda need full sun, while Fescue handles some shade.
Test Your Soil: A simple soil test from your county extension office is invaluable. It tells you your soil’s pH and what nutrients it lacks. Most grasses prefer a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Consider Your Lifestyle: Do you have kids or pets that will play on it? Do you want a low-maintenance yard? High-traffic areas need tough grasses like Bermuda or Tall Fescue.
Think About Maintenance: Be honest about how much time you want to spend. Warm-season grasses like Zoysia need less frequent mowing but annual dethatching. Cool-season grasses need more frequent fall and spring care.

Planting and Establishment Tips

Getting your grass started right is the most important step. Timing is different for each type.

Cool-Season Grasses (Tall Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass): The best time to seed or sod is early fall. This gives them time to establish roots before summer heat. Spring is a second option, but you’ll need to water more.
Warm-Season Grasses (Zoysia, Bermuda): Plant these in late spring or early summer, when soil temperatures are consistently warm. They are often installed as sod or plugs.
Site Prep: Remove weeds and debris. Loosen the top 4-6 inches of soil. Add compost if your soil is poor and rake it smooth before seeding or laying sod.
Watering New Lawns: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy for the first 2-3 weeks. This means light watering once or twice a day until seeds germinate or sod roots knit into the soil.

Seasonal Care Calendar

A quick guide to keeping your Tennessee lawn healthy through the year.

Spring

Cool-season: Fertilize, overseed thin spots, and apply pre-emergent for weeds like crabgrass.
Warm-season: Wait until green-up is complete (late April/May) before fertilizing or dethatching.

Summer

All Lawns: Mow regularly, never removing more than 1/3 of the blade. Water deeply early in the morning if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Warm-season: This is their peak growing season. Fertilize according to soil test recommendations.

Fall

Cool-season: This is the most important season. Aerate, overseed, and apply fertilizer to strengthen roots for winter.
Warm-season: Apply a final, low-nitrogen fertilizer after growth slows. Do not fertilize to late.

Winter

Keep leaves raked off the lawn to prevent smothering. Avoid walking on frost-covered grass, as it can damage the crowns. This is a good time to plan any changes for next year.

Common Problems and Solutions

Every lawn faces challenges. Here’s how to handle common ones in Tennessee.

Brown Patch: A fungal disease that hits Tall Fescue in hot, humid weather. It creates circular brown areas. Improve air flow, avoid evening watering, and use a fungicide if severe.
Crabgrass: An annual weed that invades thin lawns. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring before seeds germinate. The best defense is a thick, healthy lawn.
Chinch Bugs: These pests suck sap from grass blades, causing yellow patches in sunny areas, especially in Zoysia and Bermuda. Check for them and use an appropriate insecticide if found.
Compacted Soil: Heavy clay soils and foot traffic can compact soil, preventing water and air from reaching roots. Core aeration in the fall is the best fix for this issue.

FAQ

What is the most common grass in Tennessee?
Tall Fescue is the most widely used lawn grass across the state, thanks to its adaptability and year-round green color.

What grass is native to Tennessee?
True native lawn grasses include Buffalograss and Blue Grama. Many ornamental grasses, like Switchgrass and Little Bluestem, are also native to the region.

When should I plant grass seed in Tennessee?
For cool-season grasses like fescue, plant in early fall. For warm-season grasses like zoysia, plant in late spring to early summer.

How do I make my Tennessee lawn greener?
A proper soil test is the first step. It will tell you exactly what fertilizer your lawn needs. Also, mow high and water deeply to encourage deep, healthy roots.

Can I mix grass types in my lawn?
Yes, it’s common. Many use a mix of Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass for a durable, attractive lawn. However, avoid mixing warm and cool-season grasses, as their growth cycles and care needs conflict.

Choosing the right grass makes lawn care easier and more rewarding. By matching a grass type to your yard’s specific conditions, you’ll create a beautiful, resilient landscape that fits your Tennessee home.