Centipedegrass is commonly cultivated as lawn grass for warm seasons as it is easy growing and requires little mowing. It is considered a weed in disturbed lands and alongside roads in the US. Centipedegrass is also listed as invasive in Puerto Rico. Even fire doesn’t deter it; it grows back quickly afterwards.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Eremochloa ophiuroides, or centipedegrass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. Used as a warm season lawn grass, it forms thick sods and spreads by stolons. It is medium to light green in color and has a coarse texture with short upright seedhead stems that grow to about 3-5 inches. Native to Southern China, it was introduced to the United States in 1916 and has since become one of the common grasses in the Southeastern United States and Hawaii. It can also be considered a weed.
Centipedegrass is a low maintenance grass. It requires infrequent mowing. Centipedegrass has medium shade tolerance and limited traffic tolerance.
It is shallow rooted and has poor drought tolerance. Centipedegrass survives in mild climates without several hard freezes. With light freezes it will turn brown but recover and re-green as the temperature rises. It does well in sandy and acidic soils. Centipede grass has low fertilization requirements.
II. Types of Centipede Grass
- Centennial: This grass is ideal for high-traffic areas, such as golf courses. It is resistant to many diseases.
- Hammock: This variety boasts a rich, dark color and is drought tolerant.
- Oaklawn: This slow-growing grass offers a blue-green color.
III. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Centipede grass needs full sunlight to form a healthy turf. It does not grow well in the shade.
Temperature and Humidity
Centipede grass needs a warm, humid climate. It is not cold-tolerant.
It is normal for the grass to turn brown when the temperatures drop in the fall. Once the temperatures warm up in the spring, or if there is an extended warm spell during the winter, it bounces back to green. Hard freezes, however, especially if they occur repeatedly, can lead to injury, which manifests itself as patches of dead turf in the spring.
Watering
Centipede grass is suited for areas with less than 40 inches of rainfall per year but in drought conditions, it can show signs of moisture stress, including wilting and discoloration. When irrigated, it should be watered to a depth of four to six inches. Light, superficial watering will only result in undesirable shallow root growth. If your soil is sandy, you will need to water more frequently.
Soil
Sandy, slightly acidic soil is ideal. The grass does not grow well in a high pH so before you plant centipede grass, test the pH of your soil and acidify it if needed.
While centipede grass is undemanding in terms of soil fertility, it needs a minimum of six inches of topsoil to support turf growth.
Saline soils are not suitable for centipede grass.
The reason why it is not grown in the southwestern part of the United States is that the arid soils in that part of the country tend to be more alkaline and lack iron, both of which are not suitable conditions for centipede grass.
Fertilizing
Centipede grass needs less fertilizer than most other turfgrasses. Giving it more fertilizer than it needs can have an adverse effect—the turf becomes more prone to cold injury. One telltale sign of over-fertilization is when the grass is dark green and not its naturally medium to light green color.
Generally, one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square foot annually is sufficient. Ideally, this amount is distributed equally over two to three fertilizations: the first one in the spring, and the second and third in the summer.
How to Grow from Seed
Centipede grass can be grown from seed or planted as sod, plugs, or sprigs.
The best time to seed centipede grass is in May or June—the later you seed it, the more watering it will need during the summer, and the more susceptible it will be to cold injury. This is because the grass is not yet well established when the temperatures drop in the fall.
Seed one-quarter to one-third of a pound per 1,000 square feet. If possible, roll the soil with a lawn roller. Water it lightly, keep it moist, and follow the instructions for starting a lawn from seed. Germination will occur 14 to 28 days after seeding.
Overwintering
While care is minimal in the winter, there are a few things you should do to maintain your centipede grass. Make sure to water if it hasn’t rained for a couple of weeks to ensure your grass does not become dehydrated. Treat any weeds and fertilize before the first frost, and trim grass to a height of 2 inches. Maintain the 2-inch height throughout the winter.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
The most common issue is large patch, also called brown patch.3 It is a fungal disease that starts slowly but can kill areas of grass up to 20 feet. It is caused by a wide variety of factors, including too much nitrogen fertilizer or too much water, cool weather in the fall, winter or spring with soil temperatures between 40 and 70 degrees F, a thatch layer of more than ½ inch, and poor drainage. There are special fungicides available to treat large patch, but it is crucial to apply them in the fall when temperatures are below 70 degrees F.4
Established older turf can be affected by centipede grass decline. Its symptom is patches of grass that won’t turn green in the spring and eventually die. The disease is caused by a soil pH above 6.0, too much nitrogen fertilizer, lack of dethatching, and drought stress.5
Proper lawn care is important for the prevention and management of both diseases.
Common Problems
Centipede grass is generally low-maintenance and easy-going, but there are a few common issues to look out for.
Dead Patches
After a cold winter, you may notice dead patches in your grass. They could appear dead or yellow. To combat, try a low nitrogen fertilizer.
Weed Growth
It’s not uncommon to find weeds in centipede grass. If the weed roots become deeper than the grass, make sure to pull them out and use weed killer on these patches.