What is the difference between bermudagrass and zoysiagrass? A quick guide to telling them apart
Bermudagrass grows relatively short, with thin but very tough rhizomes and creeping rhizomes; its stolons grow along the ground and can spread out new shoots and buds to the surrounding area. It has strong reproductive capacity. Zoysiagrass, by contrast, grows straight upward, with upright stems that appear pale yellow. The rhizomes below ground can also produce new stolons that spread outward and grow new shoots.
I. Introduction to bermudagrass
1. Distribution
Bermudagrass, also known as couch grass, creeping root grass, salt sand grass and ironwire grass, is widely distributed across the provinces south of the Yellow River in China, and is found throughout the warm regions of the world; it is already cultivated near Beijing. It mostly grows near villages, along roadsides and riverbanks, and on wasteland and hillsides.
2. Morphology
Bermudagrass has thin yet tough culms; the lower part creeps along the ground and spreads very far, often producing adventitious roots at the nodes. It can reach 30 cm in height, with thick culm walls, smooth and hairless, sometimes slightly flattened on both sides. The leaf sheaths are slightly keeled, and the ligule is merely a ring of fine hairs; the leaf blades are linear, usually hairless on both surfaces. The inflorescence is a spike; the spikelets are grayish green or tinged with purple, with florets; the anthers are pale purple; the stigmas are purplish red. The caryopsis is long and cylindrical. It flowers and fruits from May to October.
3. Uses
The rhizomes of bermudagrass can be fed to pigs, while cattle, horses, rabbits, chickens and others relish its leaves; the whole plant can be used as medicine, with effects of purifying the blood, reducing fever and promoting tissue regeneration.
II. Introduction to zoysiagrass
1. Distribution
Zoysiagrass, also known as awl grass and spreading green, is distributed in Korea, Japan and China, among other places. It grows in areas at altitudes of 200 m to 500 m, mostly on hillsides, plains and seaside grasslands. It is mainly used for sports-field turf.
2. Morphology
Zoysiagrass has horizontal rhizomes and fine, weak fibrous roots. The culms are upright, 14-20 cm tall, with the base often bearing persistent withered leaf sheaths. The leaf sheaths are hairless; the lower ones are loose and overlap one another, while the upper ones tightly wrap the culm; the ligule is fringe-like, about 1.6 mm long; the leaf blades are flat or slightly inrolled, 2.5-5 cm long and 2-4 mm wide, sparsely covered with soft hairs on the surface and nearly hairless on the back. Its caryopsis is oval, 1.5-2 mm long. The flowering and fruiting period is from May to August.
3. Uses
Zoysiagrass helps protect slopes and embankments, and can also serve as feed for horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, goats, sheep, dairy goats, rabbits, geese and fish; it can also be widely used for sports-field turf across China.
From the introductions above, do you now have a better understanding of the differences between bermudagrass and zoysiagrass?