Zoysia
| Zoysia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| cultivated Zoysia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Chloridoideae |
| Tribe: | Zoysieae |
| Genus: | Zoysia Willd.[1] |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
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Brousemichea Balansa | |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zoysia. |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Zoysia |
Zoysia /ˈzɔɪziə/[2] is a genus of creeping grasses native to southeast and east Asia (north to China and Japan) and Australasia. These species, commonly called zoysia or zoysiagrass, are found in coastal areas or grasslands. The genus is named after the Austrian botanist Karl von Zois.
Species
- Zoysia japonica Steud. - zenith zoysia
- Zoysia macrantha Desv.
- Zoysia macrostachya Franch. & Sav.
- Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.
- Zoysia minima (Colenso) Zotov
- Zoysia pauciflora Mez
- Zoysia sinica Hance
- Zoysia tenuifolia Willd. ex Thiele[3]
Cultivation and uses
Because they can tolerate wide variations in temperature, sunlight, and water, these grasses are widely used for lawns in temperate climates. They are used on golf courses to create fairways and teeing areas. Zoysia grasses stop erosion on slopes, and are excellent at repelling weeds throughout the year.[4] They resist disease and hold up well under traffic.
The cultivar Zoysia 'Emerald' (Emerald Zoysia), a hybrid between Z. japonica and Z. tenuifolia,[5] is particularly popular.
Some types of zoysia are available commercially as sod in some areas. In typical savanna climates with warm wet and dry seasons, such as southern Florida, zoysia grasses grow during the warm-wet summer and are dormant in the drier, cooler winter months. They are popular because of their fine texture, soft feel, and low growth habit. They can form dense mats and even mounds that grow over low features. In contrast to St. Augustine grass, they generally require less fertilization and are less vulnerable to insect and fungus damage, depending on environmental conditions. For best appearance, turf experts recommend reel blade mowers for zoysia.
In subtropical climates of North America, zoysia grass species have naturalized in places.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Genus: Zoysia Willd.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2011-02-27. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
- ↑ "Zoysia". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. September 2005.
- ↑ "GRIN Species Records of Zoysia". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
- ↑ Richardson, K. Zoysia Grass Types Earn Mixed Reviews. All About Lawns. December 2, 2008.
- ↑ Duble, R. L. "Zoysiagrass". Texas Cooperative Extension.
References
- "Zoysia Willd.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.