Identifying Lawn Grasses in Georgia: A Field Guide to Five Major Types

Unlike trees or flowers, turfgrasses lack showy distinguishing parts. Here’s how to ID the five main lawn grasses in Georgia by leaf width, growth habit, color, and seasonal behavior.

Tall Fescue

• Green year-round (yellows in summer heat).
• Leaf width: 1/8–1/4″.
• Clump-forming, no runners.
• Only green grass in winter.

Bermudagrass

• Green summer, light brown (dormant) winter.
• Low, dense, thin blades (1/16–1/8″).
• Spreads by runners; invades beds.

Centipedegrass

• Gray-green late spring–mid-fall; dormant winter.
• Lighter green than others in summer.
• Stems creep; leaves opposite, turn 90° within 1″.
• Runners but not invasive.

Zoysiagrass

• Green summer, brown winter.
• Slowest to green up in spring.
• Spongy feel underfoot vs. hard bermudagrass.
• Leaf width 1/16–1/8″; slow runners, non-invasive.

St. Augustinegrass

• Green summer, light tan winter (light green in mild areas).
• Creeping stems; leaves opposite or alternate, turn 90° within 1″.
• Can emerge on one side of stem only.

Ryegrass (Overseeding)

• Green mid-fall–mid-spring; dies in heat.
• Clump-forming, 1/16–1/8″ blades.
• Used to winter-green bermudagrass.

Image galleries for each grass type linked in original article.

Bermuda seedhead

Bermuda seedhead

Zoysia seedheads

St. Augustinegrass seedhead

Centipede (top) vs St. Augustine (bottom)

Fescue plant