More Information
Turf is a big investment both finacially and in terms of time and effort, so a little research before you buy will be well worth the trouble. Species readily available in Qld for backyard lawns include:
Digitaria didactyla (Queensland Blue Couch)
Cynodon dactylon (Green Couch)
Stenotaphrum secundatum (Buffalo or St. Augustine)
Dactyloctenium australe (Sweet Smother or Durban Grass)
Besides the basic species, there are many named selections and hybrids of turf grasses on the market. Some are protected by Plants Breeders Rights (PBR). Some may be more suitable for professionally maintained sports fields than domestic lawns. Others may be relatively new on the market, so yet to prove themselves under local conditions.
Some considerations in making your selection may be drought hardiness, heat and cold tolerance, shade tolerance, salt tolerance, invasiness (of garden beds etc), fineness and softness of leaf, resistance to foot traffic, growth rate. Depending on the particular situation, some of these criteria may be more important than others.
When consulting with your turf supplier, explain your needs to help them make an appropriate recommendation for your yard.
More Resources
The following links are for general information and research - some information may be inappropriate for local conditions.
ACT Grass Project Research into grass seed germination and establishment, particularly for revegetation purposes
WaterWise lawns Contains some suggestions for drought tolerant grasses (recently released varieties might not be included). Environmental Protection Agency, Qld
Suitable Lawn Grasses for the NT Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (PDF)
Queensland Blue Couch
Blue couch Digitaria didactyla. Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Aussiblue Digitaria didactyla (formerly D. swazilandensis) Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Blue couch Better Pastures for the Tropics and Subtropics, Tropical Grassland Society of Australia Inc.
Green Couch
You'll find plenty of other information about this group of grasses on the internet - search using the American common name "Bermudagrass".
Green couch ( Cynodon dactylon) Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Cynodon dactylon (PDF) at the Australian Weeds and Livestock website, NSW (discusses toxicity of weeds and other plants to animals)
Buffalo
Buffalo grass Stenotaphrum secundatum) Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
St. Augustinegrass ( Stenotaphrum secundatum) Online Manual of Subtropical Landscaping Plants, Palm Beach Community College, Florida
Sweet Smother Grass
Dactyloctenium australe Tropical Forages (no information on that page but link has been added in case it's updated soon)
Carpet Grass
Narrowleaf carpetgrass ( Axonopus fissifolius, formerly A. affinis) Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Zoysia
The mossy-looking ground cover sometimes seen for sale in garden centres is Zoysia matrella var. pacifica but you will probably see it sold as Zoysia tenuifolia. Zoysias grown for lawns on a larger scale include selected cutivars and hybrids of various Zoysia species. Bear in mind that the exact properties of cultivars referred to in the following links may vary from Zoysia turf varieties currently available in Australia. Performance will, of course, also be affected by local environment.
Emerald Zoysiagrass in: 1997 Horticultural Promotions for South Central Texas, Texas A&M University
Prickly Couch ( Zoysia macrantha) Coastal Plant Regeneration, Hunter and Central Coast Regional Environmental Management Strategy, NSW
Kikuyu
Well-known as a vigorous tropical pasture grass, kikuyu is not common as a turf in Queensland (at least in urban gardens). However, a new variety selected for lawns has recently (2008) appeared on the market. It could be a way of harnessing some of the desirable qualities of kikuyu in a domestic landscape.
Kikuyu grass ( Pennisetum clandestinum) Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
Kikuyu Grass Reproduction of a 1925 article, describing performance of kikuyu in California in the first few years after it's introduction
Pennisetum clandestinum Tropical Forages
Artificial Grass
Developments in artifical grass are making it an increasingly attractive alternative for many, given water shortages in addition to the general work associated with growing and maintaining an attractive lawn. It also makes a grass-like surface possible on concrete, rooftops, indoors etc, where a grass lawn whoul be impractical or impossible.
Artificial Turf Some information about the early development of artificial turf
Older News
New solution to the shaded turf problem
A giant moveable tray allows the playing surface at University of Phoenix Stadium (host to the 2008 Super Bowl) to be grown outside and wheeled in for games. Turf cultivation inside stadiums presents special challenges, as this post at The Human Flower Project blog explains: 106 Million Players: Super Turf '08.
Aussie natives may deliver more sustainable turf
Australian native grass species will be considered in a breeding program to select turf grasses that look good with less water and fertiliser. Read more at the University of Queensland website: Turf grass, just add (less) water
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