Choosing the Right Sod for Your Florida Lawn: The Ultimate Guide
St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia, or Bermuda? Don't guess. Our comprehensive guide breaks down the pros, cons, shade tolerance, and maintenance needs of every major Florida grass type to help you make the perfect choice.
Florida is a paradise for humans, but it can be a battlefield for grass. With our scorching subtropical sun, sandy nutrient-poor soil, salt air, and oppressive humidity, only the toughest grass varieties survive. But survival isn't enough—you want a lawn that thrives.
Choosing the right sod is the single most important decision you will make for your landscape. Pick the right one, and you'll have a low-maintenance oasis. Pick the wrong one (like planting a shade-intolerant grass under an oak tree), and you are guaranteed to be replacing it within two years.
When you are ready to move forward, our Residential Sod Installation team can handle the entire process for you.
At Jax Sod, we believe an informed customer is a happy customer. This guide breaks down the "Big Four" grass families used in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida: St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia, and Bermuda. We will explore the specific cultivars, pros and cons, and best use cases for each.
1. St. Augustine Grass: The Florida Classic
If you drive through any subdivision in Jacksonville, 90% of the lawns you see are St. Augustine grass. It is the gold standard for a reason. It produces that wide-bladed, deep blue-green, lush "carpet" look that most homeowners desire.
The Varieties
- Floratam: The king of Florida lawns. It loves the sun and grows aggressively, choking out weeds. However, it has very poor shade tolerance and poor cold tolerance. If you have wide-open sun, this is your best bet.
- Palmetto: A dwarf variety with a finer texture and a deeper green color. Its superpower is shade tolerance. It can survive with 4-5 hours of sunlight, whereas Floratam needs 6-8. It also handles cold snaps better.
- Seville: A niche variety for heavy shade. It has a dwarf growth habit and excellent color retention, but it is softer and less wear-tolerant than Floratam.
- CitraBlue: A newer variety developed by the University of Florida. It has a distinctive blue-green hue and requires less fertilizer and mowing than older varieties.
Pros & Cons
- Highest shade tolerance (specific varieties).
- Excellent salt tolerance (great for coastal homes).
- Lush, dense growth that blocks weeds.
- High water requirement.
- Prone to Chinch Bugs (a major pest).
- Prone to fungus in high humidity.
- Not great for heavy foot traffic.
2. Zoysia Grass: The Premium Up-and-Comer
Zoysia has exploded in popularity over the last decade. It offers a "golf course" look with finer blades and a soft feel underfoot. It is often marketed as the "maintenance-free" grass, which is a myth, but it is generally hardier than St. Augustine.
The Varieties
- Empire Zoysia: The most common Zoysia in Florida. It has a wider blade (for a Zoysia) and is incredibly durable. It handles drought better than St. Augustine because it goes dormant (turns brown) to protect itself, then bounces back green when watered.
- Icon / Zeon: Fine-bladed varieties that look truly luxurious. They are often used on high-end properties. They require a reel mower to look their absolute best but can be maintained with a sharp rotary mower.
Pros & Cons
- Feels like carpet; best barefoot grass.
- Excellent traffic tolerance (kids and dogs).
- Chinch bug resistant.
- Better cold tolerance than St. Augustine.
- More expensive upfront cost.
- Slower recovery from damage (grows slower).
- Thatch buildup requires vertical mowing (dethatching) every few years.
3. Bahia Grass: The Rural Utility Player
Bahia is the pasture grass of the South. You see it on roadsides and on acreages. It is not an ornamental grass—it doesn't look like a manicured lawn—but it is nearly indestructible.
The Varieties
- Argentine: The preferred choice for lawns. It has wider blades and a darker green color. It produces fewer of the ugly "Y" shaped seed heads than other types.
- Pensacola: Used mostly for highway medians and erosion control. Not recommended for residential lawns due to its pale color and prolific seed head production.
Pros & Cons
- Cheapest sod option.
- Incredible drought tolerance (deep root system).
- Needs very little fertilizer.
- Resists almost all bugs and diseases.
- Aesthetically "messy" look.
- Rapid seed head production dulls mower blades.
- Poor shade tolerance (needs full sun).
- Open growth habit allows weeds to mix in.
4. Bermuda Grass: The Athlete
Bermuda is the grass of golf courses and sports fields. It is designed to be cut low and run on. For a residential lawn, it requires a high level of maintenance to look good.
Pros & Cons
- Repairability: It spreads aggressively to fill in bare spots.
- Traffic Tolerance: The toughest grass for wear and tear.
- Beautiful fine texture when mowed low.
- Highest maintenance (needs frequent mowing and fertilizing).
- Zero shade tolerance.
- invasive: It will grow into your flower beds and neighbor's yard.
Decision Framework: How to Choose
Don't pick based on pictures alone. Pick based on your property's reality.
Do you have large oak trees?
Answer: You need St. Augustine (Palmetto or Seville). Zoysia and Bermuda will slowly thin out and die in the shade.
Do you have big dogs and kids playing soccer?
Answer: You need Zoysia (Empire) or Bermuda. St. Augustine is too fragile for heavy claw traffic.
Do you have no irrigation system?
Answer: You need Bahia. It's the only one that will reliably survive on rainfall alone once established.
Do you want the best-looking lawn on the block?
Answer: St. Augustine (Floratam) or Zoysia (Empire), provided you commit to the watering and fertilization schedule.
Still unsure? The best way to decide is a site visit. Our experts can measure the light levels in your yard and test the soil to give you a definitive recommendation. Contact Jax Sod today to start planning your perfect lawn.
Ready to Transform Your Lawn?
Stop guessing and start growing. Our team at Jax Sod has 37+ years of experience helping Jacksonville homeowners create the lawn of their dreams.
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