Best Grass Types for Florida Lawns: St. Augustine vs. Bermuda vs. Zoysia

ByAustin Halsey

Choosing the best grass types for Florida lawns is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your property, and it’s a question I answer almost every week. I’m Austin Halsey, founder of Alpha Landscaping LLC in Davenport, Florida. I’ve worked on hundreds of lawns across Polk County and Osceola County, and the right grass can be the difference between a yard you love and one that gives you constant headaches.

In this post, I’ll break down the four most common grass types we see here in Central Florida. I’ll give you the honest pros and cons of each, tell you which one I recommend for most homeowners in our area, and help you figure out what’s already growing in your yard.

St. Augustine Grass: The Central Florida Favorite

If you live in Davenport, Clermont, Kissimmee, or Four Corners, there’s about a 70% chance your lawn is St. Augustine. The most common variety around here is Floratam, and for good reason. It handles Florida heat, grows thick, and looks great when it’s maintained properly. For a complete year-round care plan, see our St. Augustine grass care guide for Florida.

What I like about St. Augustine:

  • Shade tolerance — It handles partial shade better than almost any other warm season grass. That matters when you’ve got live oaks or palm trees casting shadows.
  • Thick, lush appearance — Those wide, coarse blades create the classic “Florida lawn” look that most homeowners want.
  • Fast growth and recovery — If it gets damaged, it fills back in quickly thanks to its stolons (above ground runners).
  • Salt tolerance — Good news for properties near lakes or in areas with higher soil salinity.

What to watch out for:

  • Chinch bugs — This is the number one pest problem for St. Augustine lawns in Central Florida. They love hot, dry spots and can wipe out a section of turf fast.
  • Needs regular watering — St. Augustine is thirstier than Bermuda or Zoysia. If your irrigation system isn’t dialed in, you’ll see brown patches during dry spells.
  • Weekly mowing required in summer — It grows fast. You’ll need to mow every 5 to 7 days from May through September.

Best mowing height: 3.5 to 4 inches (Floratam). Semi dwarf varieties like Palmetto can go lower at 2 to 2.5 inches. See our detailed guide on the best mowing height for St. Augustine grass.

Source: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions

Bermuda Grass: The Sports Field Look

Bermuda grass gives you that tight, fine textured, golf course look. It’s popular on sports fields, commercial properties, and lawns that get a lot of foot traffic.

What I like about Bermuda:

  • Extremely durable — It bounces back from foot traffic, play, and even light vehicle damage faster than any other grass I’ve worked with.
  • Drought tolerant — Deep roots let it pull moisture from lower soil layers, so it holds up well during dry stretches.
  • Aggressive growth — It fills in bare spots on its own using both stolons and rhizomes (underground runners).

What to watch out for:

  • Needs full sun — Bermuda does not do well in shade. If your yard has a lot of tree cover, skip this one.
  • High maintenance — It needs frequent mowing (every 5 to 7 days), regular fertilization, and careful edging because it spreads aggressively into flower beds and sidewalk cracks.
  • Can become invasive — Without regular maintenance, Bermuda creeps into places you don’t want it.

Best mowing height: 1.5 to 2.5 inches.

Zoysia Grass: The Low Maintenance Option

Zoysia is gaining popularity in Central Florida, and I can see why. It’s dense, it feels soft underfoot, and it requires less work than St. Augustine or Bermuda once it’s established.

What I like about Zoysia:

  • Dense growth crowds out weeds — Zoysia forms such a tight mat that weeds have a tough time getting started.
  • Less mowing needed — It grows slower than St. Augustine and Bermuda, so you can go longer between cuts.
  • Drought tolerant — It handles dry conditions better than St. Augustine and recovers well after going dormant.
  • Good foot traffic tolerance — If you’ve got kids and pets, Zoysia holds up well.

What to watch out for:

  • Slow to establish — If you’re starting from sod or plugs, Zoysia takes longer to fill in compared to St. Augustine.
  • Thatch buildup — That dense growth is a double edged sword. You’ll need to dethatch or aerate periodically to keep it healthy.
  • Moderate shade tolerance — Better than Bermuda but not as good as St. Augustine in heavy shade.

Best mowing height: 2 to 3 inches.

Bahia Grass: The Budget Friendly Workhorse

Bahia grass is the no fuss, no frills option. It’s not going to win any beauty contests, but it gets the job done with very little input from you.

What I like about Bahia:

  • Lowest maintenance of any Florida grass — It needs less water, less fertilizer, and less attention than the other three.
  • Grows great in sandy soil — And we’ve got plenty of sandy soil in Polk and Osceola County.
  • Deep root system — Makes it naturally drought resistant without extra watering.

What to watch out for:

  • Coarse appearance — It doesn’t look as polished as St. Augustine or Zoysia. If curb appeal is a priority, this might not be your pick.
  • Seed heads — Bahia sends up tall seed stalks frequently, which means you’re mostly mowing to remove those rather than to cut the leaf blades.
  • Not great for shade — It needs full sun to perform well.

Best mowing height: 3 to 4 inches.

Side by Side Grass Type Comparison

Feature St. Augustine Bermuda Zoysia Bahia
Blade Width Wide (8 to 9mm) Fine (1.5 to 2mm) Medium to fine Coarse
Shade Tolerance High Low Moderate Low
Drought Tolerance Moderate High High High
Foot Traffic Moderate High High Moderate
Mowing Frequency Weekly (summer) Weekly+ Every 7 to 10 days Every 7 to 14 days
Mowing Height 3.5 to 4 in 1.5 to 2.5 in 2 to 3 in 3 to 4 in
Maintenance Level Medium High Low to Medium Low
Common Pests Chinch bugs Sod webworms Brown patch fungus Mole crickets
Best For Most FL homes Sports, full sun Low upkeep lawns Budget, rural

What I Recommend for Most Central Florida Homes

For the majority of homeowners in Davenport, Clermont, Kissimmee, and Four Corners, St. Augustine (Floratam) is still the best all around choice. It handles our heat, works in sun and partial shade, and gives you that thick, green Florida look that makes your property stand out.

If you’ve got a full sun yard with lots of foot traffic, Zoysia is a strong runner up. And if you’re on a tight budget with sandy soil and don’t mind a more rustic look, Bahia gets the job done without a lot of fuss.

Not sure what you’ve got growing? We’ll tell you for free during a property walkthrough. Just request a free quote and we’ll take a look.

We Maintain All Grass Types Across Polk and Osceola County

At Alpha Landscaping LLC, we know how to care for every type of turf in Central Florida. Our residential lawn maintenance plans are customized to your grass type, property size, and seasonal needs. We also offer shrub and hedge trimming, tree trimming, seasonal cleanups and mulching, and landscape design for homeowners across Central Florida. We serve Davenport, Kissimmee, Clermont, Four Corners, and Groveland.

Call us at (352) 702-6361 or contact us online. Knowing the best grass types for Florida lawns is the first step toward a yard you can be proud of. We’ll help you with everything that comes after that.

Once you know your grass type, check out our best lawn care schedule for Florida grass to stay on top of every seasonal task. Not sure whether to hire a pro or go it alone? Read our DIY lawn care vs. professional comparison. And if St. Augustine is your grass, start with our guide on when to fertilize St. Augustine grass in Florida and the best fertilizer for St. Augustine grass. For summer-specific tips, see the St. Augustine grass summer care guide. If you’re dealing with brown patches, our easy fixes for common lawn problems in Central Florida can help you diagnose what’s going on.

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Austin Halsey

Austin Halsey is the founder and owner of Alpha Landscaping LLC, a family-owned lawn care and landscaping company based in Davenport, Florida. Austin picked up his first push mower at age 12 and has been taking care of Central Florida lawns ever since. He started Alpha Landscaping officially in 2020 and has grown it into a trusted name across Polk and Osceola Counties. Austin and his team serve hundreds of residential and commercial clients with services ranging from weekly lawn maintenance and tree trimming to mulching, hedge care, and hardscape design. When Austin writes, he draws from real jobs, real yards, and years of hands-on experience in Florida's heat, humidity, and sandy soil.

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