''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, -, -) is a genus of creeping grasses widespread across much of Asia and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, as well as various islands in the Pacific. These species, commonly called zoysia or zoysiagrass, are found in coastal areas or grasslands. It is a popular choice for fairways and teeing areas at golf courses. The genus is named after the Slovenian

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

Karl von Zois (1756–1799).

Species

SourceKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> * ''

Zoysia × forbesiana ''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, ...

'' Traub -

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

- ''(Z. japonica × Z. matrella)'' * ''

Zoysia × hondana ''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, ...

'' Ohwi -

- ''(Z. japonica × Z. macrostachya)'' * '' Zoysia japonica'' Steud. - zenith zoysia, Korean lawngrass -

(incl Bonin Is), Korea,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, Primorye; naturalized in India,

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, etc. * '' Zoysia macrantha'' Desv. -

* '' Zoysia macrostachya, eastern

america The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, Ryukyu Is * '' Zoysia matrella'' (L.) Merr. - Southeast Asia,

, Indian Subcontinent, New Guinea, Queensland, Micronesia; naturalized in parts of Africa, North and South America, and assorted oceanic islands * '' Zoysia minima'' (Colenso) Zotov - New Zealand * ''

Zoysia pauciflora ''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, ...

'' Mez -

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

of New Zealand * ''

Zoysia seslerioides ''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, ...

'' (Balansa) Clayton & F.R.Richardson - Vietnam * ''

Zoysia sinica ''Zoysia'' (;"Zoysia."
entry at CollinsDictionary.com. Retrieved 5 September 2021. , -, ...

'' Hance

, Korea, eastern

, Ryukyu Is * ''

Zoysia tenuifolia ''Zoysia matrella'' (L.) Merr., commonly known as Manila grass, is a species of mat-forming, perennial grass native to temperate coastal southeastern Asia and northern Australasia, from southern Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Taiwan, and southern China ...

'' Thiele - mascarene grass, Korean velvet grass

Cultivation and uses

Because they can tolerate wide variations in temperature, sunlight, and water, zoysia are widely used for lawns in temperate climates. They are used on golf courses to create

fairways A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". The ...

and teeing areas. Zoysia grasses stop erosion on slopes, and are excellent at repelling weeds throughout the year. They resist disease and hold up well under traffic. The cultivar ''Zoysia'' 'Emerald' (

Emerald Zoysia Emerald Zoysia (''Zoysia'' 'Emerald') is a cultivar of ''Zoysia'' grass with a thin bladed leaf that forms a very lush lawn. It shares the drought and shade resistance of the other varieties. This grass has a fine, soft texture and can be left ...

), a hybrid between ''Z. japonica'' and ''Z. tenuifolia'', is particularly popular. Some types of zoysia are available commercially as sod in some areas. In typical savanna climates with warm wet and dry seasons, such as southern Florida, zoysia grasses grow during the warm-wet summer and are dormant in the drier, cooler winter months. They are popular because of their fine texture, soft feel, and low growth habit. They can form dense mats and even mounds that grow over low features. In contrast to St. Augustine grass, they generally require less fertilization and are less vulnerable to insect and fungus damage, depending on environmental conditions. Zoysia is a native of Japan and Korea and makes a cushion-like surface/turf. Its water requirement is high. It grows slowly and frequent mowing is not required. For best appearance, turf experts recommend reel blade mowers for zoysia.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1205244 Grasses of Asia Grasses of Oceania Lawn grasses Groundcovers Poaceae genera