Turfgrass

In South Texas, turfgrasses are warm-season grasses used primarily for lawns, highway right-of-ways and sports fields. These include Bermuda grass, Zoysia, and St. Augustine cultivars. Comparable native turfgrass mixes are commercially available and may include Buffalo grass, Blue Grama, Curly Mesquite grass, and others. 

Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass are not adapted for South Texas growing conditions, though some homeowners may overseed with ryegrass in winter.

Drought-Tolerant Grass

• Grass is has evolved to tolerate drought. On its own, turf grass may go dormant in extreme heat (or cold) and stop growing new leaves; the existing leaves may turn crispy and golden brown, but new ones will regrow when conditions improve — often in spring, early summer, and in early autumn. 
• All new homes or commercial buildings that receive services from the San Antonio Water System must select turfgrass from an approved list of drought-tolerant varieties. 
• Drought-tolerant grasses have been shown to recover after sixty days in summer without water.
• Turfgrass is not required by any landscape ordinance and local homeowner associations cannot require grass to be planted or irrigated.
• When designing your landscape, include turfgrass in areas where it will have a specific function and in areas where there is plenty of soil.
• Check out the Plant Establishment information on the best way to establish new sod without overwatering.
• Limiting the turfgrass to only areas where you need it will limit your carbon footprint when compared to less intensely managed plants.
• In many parts of San Antonio, where soil is deep enough, turfgrass can be grown with minimal inputs.