Bahia
A tough, low-maintenance warm-season grass common in Florida and the Gulf Coast. It has coarse, V-shaped blades and spreads by rhizomes. Bahia is highly drought-tolerant but produces tall, unsightly seed heads frequently.
- Season
- Warm-season
- Mow height
- 3–4 inches
- Spreads by
- Rhizomes (underground runners)
- Blade width
- Coarse
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Shade tolerance
- Low
- Regions
- Florida, Gulf Coast
Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) is valued for its ability to thrive in poor, sandy soils where other grasses struggle. It is extremely drought-tolerant once established and requires less fertilizer than most warm-season grasses. The downside is its coarse texture, frequent seed head production (which requires extra mowing), and poor tolerance for shade and heavy traffic.
Best use: Low-maintenance areas, roadsides, utility turf in Florida and the Gulf Coast.
Mowing: Keep at 3–4 inches. Mow frequently during growing season to stay ahead of seed heads.
Fertilizer: Light feeder — 2–3 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year is plenty. Avoid over-fertilizing.
Watering: Very drought-tolerant. Deep, infrequent watering once established.
More on Grass Types
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