Grasses for Special Sites and Uses
Zoysiagrass is dormant much of the season in northern Illinois.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues are the primary lawn species for use in northern Illinois. Other turfgrass species may be used or promoted for use, however, for certain situations. Examples include tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, buffalograss, zoysiagrass, rough bluegrass, and annual ryegrass.
Tall fescue features good heat and wear tolerance. Newer cultivars of tall fescue, called turf-type tall fescues, are much improved in appearance as a lawn grass compared to the old types (such as Kentucky 31). However, winter hardiness is a concern. Tall fescue has a bunch-type growth habit, so it does not recover well after being damaged. Tall fescue would be a good choice for a warm, dry site, but may require overseeding periodically to maintain a quality stand. Tall fescue prefers full sun but also tolerates shade.
Creeping bentgrass, commonly used on golf courses, is rarely used as a home lawn grass due to very high maintenance requirements (fertilizer, pest control). Creeping bentgrass spreads via aboveground horizontal stems called stolons.
Buffalograss, although very drought tolerant and slow growing, is not a desirable lawn grass species at the current time. The appearance quality is poor and buffalograss is very slow to become established. Buffalograss is a warm season grass, meaning it has a short period of active growth in northern Illinois. Perhaps newer cultivars will be available in the future that may be better suited for lawn use in northern Illinois.
Zoysiagrass, another warm season grass, will be dormant (straw-color) much of the season in northern Illinois, thus is not suggested for home lawns. Zoysiagrass has both rhizomes and stolons, producing a dense stand that readily produces thatch. Zoysiagrass is slow to establish. This grass does have very good heat and drought tolerance, as frequently promoted in magazine advertisements.
Rough bluegrass (Poa trivalis) adapts well to wet, shaded areas. Appearance quality as a lawn grass is poor, however, and rough bluegrass appears very weedy when mixed with other grasses in other situations. Rough bluegrass has thin leaf blades and stolons. Sabre is an improved cultivar of common rough bluegrass.
Annual ryegrass is a short-lived species that is not suggested for lawns. It is best suited as a quick, temporary cover for bare soil due to its rapid germination.
