Zoysiagrasses are sod-forming perennial species that possess both stolons and rhizomes. The grasses turn brown after the first hard frost and are among the first warm season grasses to green up in the spring. The species vary from extremely fine textured to coarse textured types and the leaf blades are very stiff due to a high silica content.
Leaves are rolled in the bud shoot. Leaf blades are smooth with occasional hairs near the base, margins are smooth and blades are sharply pointed. Ligule is a fringe of hairs. Auricles are absent. Leaf sheath is round to slightly flattened, split, glabrous, but with a tuft of hair at the throat. Inflorescence is a short, terminal spikelike raceme with spikelets on short appressed pedicels.