Will zoysia take over other grasses?

Most people who switch to zoysia get it to fill in bare spots, such as those under trees.

• Zoysia is a great option to fill in those bare spots that are currently devoid of grass. Most people who switch to Zoysia get it to fill in places where their current lawn is struggling or sparse.
• If your yard has a lot of areas with shade, then you might want to consider replacing some of your current turfgrass with zoysia. Some grasses require full sun (6–8 hours per day) while others will tolerate medium shade (3–6 hours per day) and still others will tolerate heavy shade (less than 3 hours per day). Zoysia is one of the few grasses that will tolerate very shady areas and make them look beautiful.
• It’s easy to grow zoysia once you have installed it. It’s less susceptible to disease and pests than other types of grass, so there are fewer treatments needed over time. It thrives in tough conditions, such as clay soils, drought and foot traffic, so you can keep enjoying your lawn without spending as much time caring for it!

Zoysia grass is invasive and will gradually spread over adjacent areas of lawns.

Zoysia is a good lawn grass, but it has a significant drawback: It’s invasive. Zoysia spreads by rhizomes, stolons and seed. In most cases, this isn’t an issue because the lawn contains ornamental plants or some other barrier that prevents zoysia from spreading. However, if you have nothing to stop the spread of zoysia other than the edge of the neighboring lawn area, you’ll have to deal with the invasiveness of zoysia grass.

A hybrid of zoysia and Bermuda grasses is touted as a lawn that requires little mowing or watering.

Also, Zoysiagrass is an intergeneric hybrid of two turf grasses. Zoysia matrella (AKA Korean lawngrass) and Zoysia japonica (AKA Japanese lawngrass) were crossed to create a new grass that has the best qualities of both parent plants. This crossbreed grows well in a variety of climates and soils but doesn’t tolerate shade very well.

It requires less mowing and watering than other types of grass because it grows more slowly. However, this also means that it takes longer for the turf to fill in after being planted, and some precaution is required if you want to minimize gaps between sections as you begin your lawn. Because it’s drought-resistant and easy to maintain, it’s often used in areas that are prone to dry conditions or where water conservation is important.

Zoysia will take over other grasses if given the chance

Let’s start with the basics. Zoysia grass is often used to fill in areas of lawns that are difficult to grow, but it can become invasive, so it’s not the best choice for all lawns.

Your best bet depends on the type of grass you’re growing. If you have a lawn with bluegrass or ryegrass and want to fill in some bare spots using zoysia, keep reading: we’ve got the answers you need.