Everything You Need to Know About Zoysia Australis Grass
Zoysia Australis is a tough and hardy, medium-textured zoysia grass with a beautiful blue/green leaf. It’s a new Zoysia variety that provides solutions for Aussie families with its ability to be installed in a wide range of areas. It can stand up to the stresses of a family and pets and has shade tolerance to thrive where other grasses falter.
The Back Story of Zoysia Australis Grass
Dr Brian Schwartz bred Zoysia Australis at the world-famous University of Georgia, Tifton Campus. Dr Schwartz is renowned as the scientist behind the release of the highly successful TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. Zoysia Australis arrived in Australia back in 2018 with a range of other elite zoysia grasses. Zoysia Australis was selected for commercial release after extensive trials in a range of conditions and applications. This is a zoysia grass that offers significant benefits and a real point of difference from the other turf varieties available to consumers. Zoysia Australis is a Zoysia Japonica. Zoysia Japonica originates and is native to the coastal grasslands of South East Asia. Japonica’s have been introduced and used as a popular choice for home lawns and public areas around the world. Japonica’s have a medium leaf texture, high shade and good wear tolerance.
Independent Australian Trials by the World’s Leading Turf Research Institute
In a recent independent trial conducted by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) ‘Screening new Zoysia turfgrasses under Australian conditions‘, Zoysia Australis showed some exceptional qualities. For speed of establishment, Zoysia Australis (cultivar ZJ-19-017) was one of the fastest cultivars to reach establishment in the first 12 months of evaluation reaching 95% of establishment.
Key Traits:
- Good shade tolerance (requires at least 4-5 hours of sunlight per day)
- Good Wear Tolerance and Recovery for a Zoysia grass
- Soft medium leaf
- Versatility in a range of conditions and climates
- Fast establishment
- Good colour (green/blue)
- Strong rhizome growth
- Deep root system
- Less mowing requirements
- Disease resistant
Locally Grown and Loved Grass
Turfco Australia grows Zoysia Australis in Jaspers Brush on the South Coast of NSW. We are the leading turf supplier of quality turf to the Southern Highlands, Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South Coast, Far South Coast, and ACT.
Turfco upholds strict genetic purity rules and regulations which ensures all our turf varieties adhere to a stringent set of quality standards. The AusGAP certification system not only ensures the genetic purity of a turf-grass variety where appropriate but it provides assurance that the entire production, delivery and installation process is undertaken to the highest industry standards.
Lawn Solutions Australia is the largest research facility in the Southern Hemisphere, and Turfco is an accredited Lawn Solutions turf supplier. You know the turf you are receiving is of the highest quality, backed by a 10-year turf product warranty, as well as the best possible service when you buy from a Lawn Solutions grower.
Zoysia Australis Lawn Maintenance
Mowing
For best results, we suggest mowing Zoysia Australis every week in the peak growing season (spring & summer). However, it is possible to keep a good-looking, healthy Zoysia Australis lawn by mowing every 2-3 weeks.
For a convenient Lawn Care Calendar with year ’round lawn maintenance tips, please click here.
Fertilising Rates
Zoysia Australis was bred to require fewer inputs. For Zoysia Australis we only recommend giving the lawn a fertilise twice a year. Use Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser once in early-mid spring and again in late autumn.
Fertilising isn’t necessarily required during the warmer months of the year. Avoid excessively fertilising with high amounts of nitrogen.
If you want genuine Zoysia Australis, contact Turfco Australia.
For more information on Zoysia Australis, check out this video.
Is there such thing as Zoysia Australis Seed? How is Zoysia Australis Grown?
Like all warm-season turf varieties, Zoysia Australis cannot be grown from seed. All the turf varieties grown at Turfco can only be grown from Stolons and Rhizomes, not seed. On our farm, turf paddocks have to be planted with Stolons or Runners. To do this, mature turf cuts are fed into a Sprig Planting Machine where they are chopped up and periodically distributed into the soil. Afterwards, a roller is sent across the paddock to embed these runners further in the soil. The entire area is then irrigated, fertilised and very well cared for over the next few months.
The Stolons and Runners eventually grow laterally with a root system establishing down into the soil, which allows the turf to reach full maturity and fill an entire paddock. It’s at this point the paddock is ready to be harvested and become a lucky customer’s new home lawn!
Zoysia Australis is a warm-season turf variety. All warm-season turf varieties will enter a level of dormancy when [soil] temperatures decrease (during the cooler/winter periods). Some regions and particular turf varieties will experience higher levels of winter dormancy than others. Expect your lawn to lose colour during these cooler months as the plant growth rate slows down. Once temperatures increase, the growth rate will rise, and the lawn will return to a lush, green state. An application of Lawn Solutions ColourGuard Plus* will help to immediately bring a lush, green colour back to your lawn. The product will both give your lawn an instant green look and protect the blade of the turf up to 2 degrees warmer. Read more on Winter Dormancy.
*Apply to established lawns only.
