Empire Zoysia is Zoysia japonica (commonly known as Korean lawngrass, zoysiagrass or Japanese lawngrass) is a species of creeping, mat-forming, short perennial grass that grows by both rhizomes and stolons. I plan on installing zoysia sod in my front yard in the next few weeks. Icon Zoysia is a naturally, emerald green zoysiagrass that is drought tolerant and quick to establish. It is not marketed as a cultivar that can be grown from seed, because it is a hybrid of two Zoysia species, japonica and tenufolia. "Empire" is often marketed as a modern replacement and improvement over the long-standing "Emerald" selection of zoysia grass. It quickly grows via stolons (stems running on the soil surface) as well as by underground rhizomes. You may not even mow it regularly, as it grows to a height of only six to twelve inches. Sod is a cost-effective, attractive and quick solution to any grassy yard. Wider-bladed zoysias, like EMPIRE, usually have a blade width of 5–7 mm, whereas finer-bladed zoysias, like Innovation TM Zoysia and Geo TM Zoysia, have a blade width around 2 mm. Empire has good wear tolerance and thrives in hot and humid conditions. Zoysia is an easy-care, warm-season grass that is highly versatile and drought tolerant, making it popular for many lawns. Emerald is one of the slowest growing zoysia grasses making mowing every 7-10 days in the growing season one of its best attributes. Although relatively free from most pests and diseases, zoysia grass isn’t without its faults. It is well-suited for quality lawns where regular maintenance and care is provided. They require little to no love from me to stay thick and lush. Overall, zoysias are typically fine turfgrasses with a smooth feel. It can resist drought and shade, like other types of Zoysia grass. The grass exhibits a dense creeping growth, rather than an aggressive upward, or sprawling growth. Meyer Zoysia Grass . Thatch can be a problem when it comes to your lawn. Replies (4) Share: 0 0. He found that there were three distinct races of grass sold as “Emerald”. Emerald Zoysia is a hybrid Zoysia variety with a dark, emerald green color and a finer, wirier blade texture. Japonicas have a medium leaf texture, fair shade and wear tolerance. Emerald zoysia is less hardy but more shade tolerant than Meyer Zoysia. The common types of Zoysia Japonica which are available around Australia are Empire Zoysia and Platinum Zoysia. The Palmetto Buffalo and the Empire Zoysia are my favourites at the moment. Replies (4) Options Top. Empire Turf. 2. If look and feel is important to you, both Zoysia types are soft to the touch. First discovered on the rocky cliffs, beach dunes and salt marshes of eastern Australia, Icon Zoysia is one of the most salt tolerant turf varieties available. Visually, Empire is a very attractive turfgrass for residential landscapes. Emerald Zoysia is a fine bladed, extremely dense turf that is noted for its dark green color. I'm having a hard time choosing between the two varieties. Emerald zoysia is dark green with fine leaf texture, high shoot density and a low growth habit. EMPIRE Turf is America's first greatly improved zoysia grass, offering enviable appearance and better performance. In southern areas of Australia and the in the colder months Zoysia Japonica will struggle. If you are located in other areas and are sold on virtues of a Zoysia grass, we can recommend Empire Zoysia or Nara Native Zoysia. It would be best to plant an ornamental groundcover plant under a large tree. Here Larry O'Neil explains the differences in Empire and Emerald Zoysia Grass. Both grasses are warm season perennial grasses that grow actively during the summer but … The fine texture of this grass is attributed to the latter, whereas its growth pattern and tolerance to cold is attributed to the former. It has a dark green color, a very fine leaf texture, good shade tolerance, high shoot density, and a low growth habit. EMPIRE™ Zoysia Turf grows really well across Queensland and Northern NSW and provides a lawn grass which is easy to look after. Sir Walter is a low thatch Empire Zoysia combines soft-to-the-touch feel with lush green color and fine, tight blade growth. Empire Zoysia has a reputation for being one of the most drought-tolerant, water-efficient turf varieties available in Australia. Emerald zoysia is a fine-textured hybrid zoysia that is one of the most attractive of the zoysia grasses. So let’s find how how our two contenders fare in this battle between Sir Walter Buffalo vs Empire Zoysia. The matrella's and Emerald will be slightly more work than the japonica's. Zoysia Matrella. It is native to the coastal grasslands of southeast Asia and Indonesia. 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