Choosing Between Zoysia and Floratam St. Augustine for a New Lawn

First-time homeowner, first lawn decision: Zoysia vs. Floratam (St. Augustine). You want winter color, fast spring green-up, and have irrigation plus a pro maintenance crew. Here's the breakdown.

Quick Comparison

Factor	Zoysia (Empire, Innovation, etc.)	Floratam St. Augustine
Winter color	Dormant (brown) in freeze; some varieties hold color better	Dormant in hard freeze; greener longer in mild winters
Spring green-up	Slow (late April–May)	Faster (March–April)
Shade tolerance	Good (4–5 hrs sun)	Excellent (3–4 hrs sun)
Wear tolerance	Excellent	Moderate
Mowing height	1–2″ (reel best)	3.5–4″ (rotary)
Thatch buildup	High—needs dethatching	Moderate
Chinch bug resistance	Resistant	Susceptible
Large patch disease	Susceptible	Less prone

Empire vs. Ultimate Zoysia

• Empire: Proven, widely available, good cold tolerance, moderate shade tolerance, dense, wear-tolerant. The "workhorse" Zoysia.
• Ultimate (often 'UltimateFlora' or similar): Newer, finer texture, darker green, potentially better shade tolerance, but less track record. May cost more.

Ask your maintenance pro which they prefer working with—they'll know local performance and pest issues.

Critical Advice: Pest Scouting

Regardless of choice, insist your pro scouts weekly. Early detection of chinch bugs (St. Augustine), hunting billbugs (Zoysia), or large patch allows spot-treatment with low-toxicity products. Preventive calendar sprays are outdated and harmful.

Decision Framework

• Choose Zoysia if: you want a dense, weed-resistant, lower-mow lawn; can accept brown winters; have full sun to light shade.
• Choose Floratam if: shade is significant; you want faster spring green; prefer higher mow height; accept chinch bug vigilance.

Both are excellent with irrigation and pro care. Your maintenance pro's familiarity may be the deciding factor—they'll do better work on grass they know.