Grass Seeds That Need Less Mowing and Water in California

• The first step toward growing a healthy turf is to select grass seed well adapted to local growing conditions. The warm southern California weather calls for warm-season grasses, while a number of cool-season grasses perform well in the north. A variety of warm and cool season grasses cited by the University of California Extension have low water and infrequent mowing requirements, making them good choices in low-maintenance landscapes. Grass seed with low water requirements are also referred to as drought tolerant.

Tall Fescue

• Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is cited as the most common lawn grass in California by the University of California Extension site. The cool-season grass is low maintenance with a very high level of tolerance for drought and heat stress with its low water requirement. Tall fescue grows well in areas of sun or partial shade and maintains a good appearance even with infrequent mowing. The grass has a coarse texture and a dark green color, tolerant of moderate traffic and creates a dense turf when closely seeded. Tall fescue has a very deep root system and a bunch-type growth habit.

Bermudagrass

• Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is a gray-green, medium- to coarse-textured warm-season grass popular in the warmer regions of California. Bermudagrass thrives in areas of full sun and high temperatures and exhibits a very high tolerance for drought. Seeded bermudagrass is highly water efficient with its low water requirements and required minimal mowing to keep in shape. Hybrid varieties of the grass require a more frequent mowing schedule. Bermudagrass does not tolerate cold temperatures and shade and has few pest-related issues.

Buffalograss

• Buffalograss (Buchloe dactylides) is listed by the University of California Extension as among the most naturally drought-tolerant grasses with its low requirement of water. The warm-season grass has a fine texture and gray-green color, spreading with stolons. Buffalograss is popular as a very low-maintenance grass that thrives with minimal amounts of water, mowing and fertilizer. The grass has a very low level of resistance to shade. Buffalograss has a long dormancy in winter and its seed and sod are relatively more expensive.