Centipede
A low-maintenance warm-season grass popular in the Southeast. Centipede spreads slowly by stolons and is nicknamed "the lazy man's grass" because it requires minimal fertilizer, mowing, and water. It is sensitive to over-fertilizing and performs poorly in drought.
- Season
- Warm-season
- Mow height
- 1.5–2 inches
- Spreads by
- Stolons (above-ground runners)
- Blade width
- Medium
- Drought tolerance
- Medium
- Shade tolerance
- Medium
- Regions
- Southeast US
Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is a medium-textured warm-season grass that thrives in the acidic, sandy soils of the Southeast. Its slow growth is actually an advantage — it stays neat without frequent mowing and doesn't need much fertilizer. In fact, too much nitrogen is one of the most common ways to kill centipede (a condition called "centipede decline").
Best use: Low-maintenance home lawns in the Southeast, especially on acidic soils.
Mowing: Keep at 1.5–2 inches. Mow every 7–10 days during the growing season.
Fertilizer: Very light feeder — 1–2 lbs nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year. Avoid high-phosphorus products. Iron supplements improve color.
Watering: Moderate drought tolerance. Wilts in extended drought but usually recovers.
More on Grass Types
Put this into practice
SimpleLawn is a free iPhone app. Map your lawn, track treatments, and get advice tailored to your yard.
Prefer your computer? Use the web app