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A Complete Guide to all things Zoysia Tenuifolia - FAQ
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Zoysia tenuifolia is the finest texture of the three species of Zoysia grasses.
It has very fine, wiry leaf blades and form dense, fluffy mounds making it an ideal architectural plant.
It is more commonly known as "Korean Velvet Grass" or "No Mow Grass".
Zoysia Tenuifolia is a Tropical spreading grass with very fine, vivid green foliage and is usually left unmown for a freeform look.
Zoysia Tenuifolia is usually utilised as a ground cover in Oriental Gardens, among rocks and ponds, and makes a spectacular architectural specimen as it can also grow over rocks and other structures in the garden.
It is also used to great effect when planted between pavers.
Anyone who has visited the Hunter Valley Gardens will tell you it looks magnificent in the Oriental setting.
Zoysia Tenuifolia is also a great lawn and sloping bank grass species, but is much more appealing when used as an ornamental grass ground cover, as it possesses an unusual clumping or mounding appearance.
It makes an excellent ground cover for Japanese style gardens where you want to simulate a moss style landscape or where trees make establishing a conventional lawn difficult.
Zoysia Tenuifolia is mainly used as a ground cover because it tends to grow in an undulating way, creating ripples and small hills right up to the trunks of trees in deep shade.
Is fantastic for use on difficult to mow steep slopes.
Ideal for use on roof top gardens or green rooves.
The fluffy mounding effects makes it excellent for use in Japanese Gardens or Zen Gardens.
Zoysia Tenuifolia is very fine textured and dark green in colour.
Spreading is by rhizomes (underground runners).
Zoysia Tenuifolia grows well in Full sun to Part Shade.
It is mainly utilised as a ground cover in Oriental Gardens, among rocks and ponds.
Zoysia Tenuifolia makes a spectacular architectural specimen as it can also grow over rocks and other structures in the garden.
It is also used to great effect when planted between pavers and steppings stones.
We recommend the use of Tri Kombi for the control of weeds in Zoysia tenuifolia.
When using Tri Kombi, or any weed killer for that matter, try on a small test area first.
Zoysia tenuifolia, can be used to form a fine-textured lawn grass, but is most commonly used for landscaping purposes as a low-growing, unmown groundcover.
Their slow growth reduces the need for mowing and their nitrogen requirement is lower than that of green couch (Cynodon dactylon).
Zoysia tenuifolia grasses are drought-tolerant. In the tropics, even on a sand-based soil, they can remain green for four weeks without water. Zoysia tenuifolia copes well with drought by in-rolling its leaves to conserve moisture and by developing a deep root system.
Zoysia, established in a new mixed landscape, adjusts to shading as the adjacent trees and shrubs mature, coping well with deep shade in the tropics. *** Zoysia tenuifolia will not tolerate a combination of both Low Temperatures and Shade ***.
Zoysia forms very dense lawns that resist invasion by weeds better than green couch.
Zoysia grasses work particularly well on hills and steep slopes. Because they are planted in tufts it is quite easy to plant the Zoysia on steep slopes. Once the grass has established itself you will be left with a carpet-like surface.
Slope erosion is significantly reduced due to Zoysia’s very deep root system and thickness of the turf. Zoysia will establish on a wide range of soil types with acid to neutral pH, but do not tolerate anything more than very temporary water-logging ***(they do not like continually wet feet)***, so good internal soil drainage is essential.
Zoysia is similar to blue couch (Digitaria didactyla) in tolerating much lower soil fertility than green couch, but will respond to nitrogen fertiliser by increased growth and deeper green colour.
Slow-release fertilisers are effective in delivering the moderate level of nitrogen required by Zoysia over an extended period. The slow growth of Zoysia grasses, however, is a double-edged sword - It reduces the frequency of mowing, but it also means that Zoysia grasses take more time to repair if damaged, and the longer commercial growth cycle makes the sod more expensive.
Zoysia leaves have high silica levels, a characteristic that makes them extremely wear-tolerant compared with other warm-season turf grasses.
***When you receive your Zoysia, remove plants carefully to avoid dislocating grass strands from pot or tray***
***When first planted they may turn slightly brownie / white on the ends — Resist the temptation to over-water them***
***Tri Kombi can be used for control of weeds, but test a small area first***
***A good cut back with secateurs and application of Dynamic Lifter Granules will 'Green it up' substantially***
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What Are Zoysia Grasses?
Zoysia is a genus of creeping, warm season grasses widespread across much of Asia and Australia, as well as various islands in the Pacific. These species are commonly called Zoysia or Zoysiagrass. There are three principal species of zoysia grass used for turf: Zoysia tenuifolia, Zoysia matrella, and Zoysia japonica. These species are differentiated by texture, cold tolerance and aggressiveness.
If you include variants however, the list is quite exhaustive:
- Zoysia japonica
- Zoysia matrella
- Zoysia tenuifolia
- Zoysia emerald (Z.japonica x Z.tenuifolia)
- Zoysia macrantha
- Zoysia macrostachya
- Zoysia minima
- Zoysia pauciflora
- Zoysia seslerioides
- Zoysia sinica
- Zoysia × forbesiana (Z. japonica × Z. matrella)
- Zoysia × hondana (Z. japonica × Z. macrostachya)
The Three Main Species of Zoysia
The three main species, Tenuifolia, Matrella and Japonica, vary from extremely fine textured to coarse textured types and the leaf blades are very stiff due to a high silica content.
Zoysia Matrella is fine leafed and has high shade tolerance. Introduced from Manila, Zoysia matrella grows well in moderate shade and forms a thick mat in full sun. The leaf blades of Zoysia matrella are narrow, sharply pointed and wiry. Zoysia matrella must be propagated from sprigs and is quite slow to become established.
Zoysia japonica, sometimes called "Japanese lawn grass" or "Korean lawn grass", is more cold tolerant than the other species, but is also the most coarse textured of the three species. Zoysia japonica is the only zoysia grass species that can be established from seed.
Zoysia tenuifolia is the third species of Zoysia. It is more commonly known as "Korean Velvet Grass" or "No Mow Grass". It is the finest textured of the three. It has very fine, wiry leaf blades and form dense, fluffy mounds making it an ideal architectural plant.
(Emerald zoysia another popular zoysia grass. It is a hybrid variation between Zoysia japonica and Zoysia tenuifolia released in 1955. Emerald combines the fine texture of Zoysia tenuifolia with the cold tolerance and faster rate of spread of Zoysia japonica. Emerald is similar to Zoysia matrella in appearance and habit).
Description
Because zoysia grasses can tolerate wide variations in temperature, sunlight, and water, they are widely used for lawns in temperate climates. Zoysia grasses stop erosion on slopes, and are excellent at repelling weeds. They resist disease and hold up well under traffic.
Zoysiagrasses are sod-forming perennial species that possess both stolons and rhizomes. They can turn brown after the first hard frost but are among the first warm season grasses to green up in the spring. Zoysia grasses grow well in moderately shaded locations. In cooler climates, zoysia grass does not perform as well under shade as some other species.
Zoysia grass is extremely drought tolerant. Although it can turn straw coloured under severe drought conditions, it has the capacity to respond to subsequent irrigation or rainfall. The leaf blades of zoysiagrass are among the first to roll under drought conditions, thus it tends to conserve moisture more effectively than other species. Zoysiagrass also has a deep root system allowing it to more effectively extract water from greater soil depths.
Zoysiagrasses are also salt tolerant. It is widely grown along coastal areas where drainage is adequate. Zoysiagrass does not tolerate poorly drained soils whether they are saline or otherwise. ie., they do like constantly 'wet feet'.
Zoysiagrasses are among the most wear tolerant, however, their slow rate of growth gives them very poor recuperative potential. If the grass is completely worn in those areas, zoysiagrass is very slow to fill in the damaged areas.
Matrella, Zoysia and Emerald grasses must be propagated from runners, plugs or sod.
( Zoysia japonica is the only species that can be established from seed )
What is Zoysia Tenuifolia?
Zoysia tenuifolia is fast becoming Australia's favourite 'No Mow' Grass. It forms fluffy, moss-like mounds and makes an ideal groundcover for Japanese / Balinese Gardens, Rockeries and Fairy Gardens.
It is perfect for use between Pavers or Stepping Stones or as a Feature Plant in a Large Pots. It's Fine, Dark Green leaves and Dense Undulating habit makes it ideal candidate for weed control when planted en-mass. It's wavy appearance makes it a fantastic architectural plant.
Zoysia Tenuifolia is native to Asia, and is named after botanist Karl von Zois. Karl von Zois zu Laibach was a Carniolan amateur botanist and plant collector. He is best known today as the namesake of zoysiagrass, which was named by Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1801. The bellflower Campanula zoysii is also named after him.
A warm-season grass, its deep root system allows it to tolerate drought better than many other turf grasses. It is also tolerant of shade, cold and foot traffic.
Zoysia tenuifolia is thought to originate from the Mascarene Islands. Zoysia tenuifolia is also referred to as Mascarene grass.
Zoysia tenuifolia is known by many Common Names including;
- Korean Velvet Grass
- Japanese Velvet Grass
- No Mow Grass
- Mascarene Grass
- Temple Grass
- Minmow Grass
- Petting Grass
- Kourai Grass
Zoysia Tenuifolia is mainly utilised as a ground cover in Oriental Gardens, among rocks and ponds, and makes a spectacular architectural specimen as it can also grow over rocks and other structures in the garden. It is also used to great effect when planted between pavers.
Zoysia tenuifolia can be purchased in a few different ways:
- Zoysia tenuifolia tiles
- Zoysia tenuifolia trays
- Zoysia tenuifolia pots
- Zoysia tenuifolia plugs
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