Zoysiagrass Cultivars Performance Under Shade.

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp) has become a popular species for homelawns in Louisiana.  However, home landscapes often include tree species that provide varying shaded conditions.  To determine which zoysiagrass cultivars are suitable for homelawn applications in shaded environments, five zoysiagrass cultivars were evaluated, El Toro, Empire, Emerald, Palisades, and Geo under three shade regimens of 0, 30, 50, and 70%.  Common St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze] and centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack] were included as controls homelawn species.  Grasses were evaluated in 2014 and 2015 for changes in canopy coverage, density, and overall quality.  All zoysiagrass cultivars and control species maintained >85% canopy coverage and dense swards under 0 and 30% shade.  As shade levels increased to 50 and 70%, finer-leafed zoysiagrass cultivars maintained higher canopy coverages and denser swards compared to zoysiagrass cultivars with coarser leaves.  St. Augustinegrass and Centipedegrass performed poorly at ≥50% shade.  The objective of this experiment is to develop guidelines for sod producers and consumers concerning proper cultivar selection for use in shaded landscapes.