Tropika - Blue Couch
Scientific name:
Digitaria didactyla (syn. D. swazilandensis)
Other names:
Species common name: Blue couch, Swazigrass (Southern Africa)
Cultivar name: Tropika
Origin:
Brought into Australia from Southern Africa as part of a CSIRO pasture plant introduction program by Ray Strickland in the early 1970s. Identified by Bob Reid (CSIRO, Townsville), Trevor Hall and Kev Shaw (from the then Department of Primary Industries, now DEEDI) as having potential as a lawn grass. Planted into a trial plot for tropical lawn species at Walkamin Research Station, Queensland on 30 April 1990. First commercialised and named in the mid-1990s at Little Mulgrave, Far North Queensland.
Global growing areas: Queensland, Australia.
IP protection: None.
Details
- Texture: Medium, with a soft leaf.
- Description: Attractive blue-green leaves. Leaves slightly wider (averaging around 4 mm) than Digitaria didactyla cv. ‘Aussiblue’. Long stolons. Strong lateral extension growth and high sod strength. Minimal seed head production. Has not been formally described.
- Use: Domestic and commercial lawns, low maintenance sports fields and parkland.
- Mowing height: 25-30 mm. Recovers very rapidly from scalping. May need weekly mowing in summer, less in the cooler months.
- Method of propagation: Vegetative sod, plugs, sprigging of stolons.
- Preferred soil types: Free-draining. Coastal sands and loams, but adaptable to light clays and well-structured heavy clay soils (such as krasnozems).
Comments:
Forms a thick cover, resistant to weed invasion. Minimal production of seed under normal mowing conditions. Survives with lower water and fertiliser inputs than green couch.
Tolerances:
- Heat: Good. Copes with high temperatures as long as there is root zone moisture.
- Cold: Tends to purple slightly in winter in South East Queensland. More frost tolerant than Digitaria didactyla cv.’Aussiblue’.
- Shade: Not particularly shade tolerant, but better than common Queensland blue couch and most green couches.
- Drought: Quite good drought tolerance. Deep rooted. Responds quickly to moisture.
- Salinity: Not tolerant.
- Wear: Less wear-tolerant than green couches, but recovers very rapidly. Wears and recovers better than common blue couch.
- Herbicide sensitivity: As per Queensland blue couches. Not tolerant of MSMA or DSMA.
- Pests and diseases: Army worm, lawn grub. May get leaf spots caused by Drechslera spp. and Curvularia spp. when stressed.
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 Tropika please go to http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_14981.htm
