Hard Fescue (Festuca ovina)
•Cool-season grass (Northern states)
•Fine and slow-growing
•Works well in shade or drought
•Stands up to wear
Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)
•Cool-season grass (Northern states)
•Coarse, but looks good
•Needs light but doesn’t need to be mowed often
Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
•Cool-season grass (Northern states)
•Very fine texture
•Works well in poor, acidic soil
•Stands up to mild drought and also thrives in cool, wet regions, as in the Northwest.
Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
•Cool-season grass (Northern states)
•Thin, richly colored, and durable
•Tolerates cold and heat, but needs a lot of sun and fertilizer
•Good for most climates
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
•Warm-season grass (Southern and Western states)
•The bulk of most mixes for colder climates
•Tough and lush
•Good instant-lawn seed
Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides)
•Warm-season grass (Southern states)
•Low maintenance
•Good for alkaline clay soils
•Goes dormant in summer and autumn.
Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides)
•Warm-season grass (Southern and Western states)
•Coarse
•Light to medium in color
•Very slow-growing, so takes a while to start up but requires little maintenance
Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)
•Warm-season grass (Southern and Western states)
•Slow-growing and coarse
•Staves off weeds
•Good in sandy soil