Palisades - Zoysia - Turf Grass

Scientific name: Zoysia japonica.

Other names: Species common names: zoysia, Japanese lawngrass.

Cultivar name: Palisades.

Origin: A chance hybrid of ‘Z44′ and an unknown pollen source; selected in Dallas, Texas, in the United States by Dr Milton C Engelke of Texas A&M University.

Known growing areas: Available in the United States. Pre-release testing in Australia. Potential for Asia.

IP protection: US Plant Patent PP11,515 (granted 19 September 2000). May have IP protection in South Korea and Japan.

Australian PBR certificate: 2594 (granted 26 October 2004).

Characteristics

Form a slow growing, dense, stiff turf. Less drought tolerant, but more shade tolerant (particularly Z. matrella) than green or blue couch. The zoysias form a fine (Z. tenuifolia), fine to medium (Z. matrella) or a medium to coarse (Z. japonica) textured turf.

The zoysia grasses are noted for their extremely high resistance to wear, but are very slow to recover if damaged. Like green couch and kikuyu grass, the zoysias produce underground rhizomes that will invade adjacent garden beds if not controlled.

Vegetatively propagated cultivars maintain good colour during winter, unlike the older seeded types (of Z. japonica), which are highly winter dormant and will turn brown even where there is no frost.

Details

• Texture: Medium to coarse.
• Description: The mid-green leaf blade is flat and stiff, averaging 75.6 mm in length and 3.4 mm in width. The stolons are reddish purple when exposed to sunlight. Stolons have a mean internode length of 29.9 mm between the second and third nodes and a mean width of 1.0 mm.
• Use: Home lawns, golf courses (fairways and roughs), industrial estates.
• Mowing height: Tolerant of low mowing (limit 6-8 mm). Fairways and sportsfields: 10-20 mm with a reel mower. Home lawns: 50 mm with a rotary mower.
• Method of propagation: Vegetative, sod or sprigs.
• Preferred soil types: Needs a well drained soil. Prefers pH 6-7 but tolerates a wider range.

Comments

Forms a medium to high density lawn.

Intermediate establishment rate (many zoysias are slow to establish).

Unlikely to produce seedlings and become contaminated. Produces few seed heads.

Rapid production cycle for a zoysia: 6-8 months.

Moderate thatching in US trials.

Has performed well in trials in Brisbane and Melbourne. Needs further regional evaluation in Australia, as performance (although generally very good) varied markedly at different US trial sites.

Tolerances

• Heat: Good heat tolerance.
• Cold: Selected for improved cold tolerance in US conditions. Moderate colour retention through winter. Initiates early spring growth.
• Shade: Good to excellent, suitable species for moderately shaded areas.
• Drought: Selected for low water use requirements. Prolonged colour retention, persistent cover and resistance to weed invasion under dry conditions.
• Salinity: Moderate salinity tolerance. Can be irrigated with water of marginal quality.
• Wear: Resistant to wear, but slow to recover if damage occurs. Regrowth rate better than some other Zoysia japonica genotypes.
• Herbicide sensitivity: Tolerant of a broad range of common turf herbicides. Check the label.
• Pests and diseases: Relatively pest and disease free. Pythium resistant. Recovers rapidly from Rhizoctonia. Resistant to tropical sod webworm.

Photos used on this page are not necessarily photos from DEEDI

For more information and updates on warm season turfgrasses, their production and management please go to http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/turf

For updates on Palisades please go to http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_11690.htm