Carpetgrass: A Comprehensive Guide to Lawn Beauty

Have you ever heard the saying, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”? That might be the perfect way to describe carpetgrass. To some, common carpetgrass is a stubborn weed that needs to be banished from their lawn. However, others admire how carpetgrass flourishes where other grasses don’t dare to plant roots.

What is carpetgrass, how do you take care of it, and is it the right choice for your lawn? In this article, we’ll look at the good, the bad, and the scraggly when it comes to common carpetgrass.

What Is Carpetgrass?

If you live anywhere along the Gulf Coast, you may already be familiar with carpetgrass (Axonopus) without knowing it. It often shows up in parks, along roadsides, and even in golf courses and is prized for its low maintenance and impressive ability to thrive in weak soil.

Carpetgrass has numerous nicknames, including “flat grass,” “Louisiana grass,” and “petit gazon.” Native to the West Indies, common carpetgrass is most often found in the Southern United States, Eastern Texas, and the coastal Carolina region. This warm-season perennial does best in USDA zone 8 or hotter and often goes dormant when the weather gets chilly.

While there are numerous types of common carpetgrass, the two most popular species are broadleaf carpetgrass and narrowleaf carpetgrass.

Broadleaf Carpetgrass

As the name suggests, broadleaf carpetgrass (Axonopus compressus) possesses a wider leaf than its narrowleaf counterpart. This type of carpetgrass is known for its ability to spread lightning fast, which makes it ideal for filling in a bare lawn. It’s also regularly used for pasture, ground cover, and erosion control.

Narrowleaf Carpetgrass

Narrowleaf carpetgrass (Axonopus fissifolius) was previously known as Axonopus affinis. This version of carpetgrass is more frost-tolerant than broadleaf carpetgrass and spreads less quickly. Generally, narrowleaf carpetgrass is considered to be more aesthetically pleasing than broadleaf carpetgrass, making it a top choice for many who decide to introduce carpetgrass to their yard.

What Are the Benefits of Carpetgrass?

Carpetgrass is not thought to be as visually appealing as other, more traditional lawn grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, Bermuda grass, Zoysia, and St. Augustine. Why, then, would anyone choose to plant carpetgrass in their yard? The answer is that carpetgrass can survive and even thrive in many conditions that would kill other grasses.

That said, carpetgrass does have a lot going for it. Here are some of the main benefits of Axonopus.

Thrives in Soils with Low Fertility

If your soil is of poor quality and won’t support more traditional grasses, give common carpetgrass a try. In many cases, you’ll find that carpetgrass will grow plentifully, even in soil with low fertility.

Loves the Shade

If you have large shady areas on your property, other grasses and plants may struggle to grow. However, common carpetgrass fares quite well in low-sun areas.

Acidic Soil

If your soil possesses a pH of 5 or 6, most other types of grasses will wilt. It’s time to call in carpetgrass, which loves acidic soil.

High Moisture

Many areas of the Gulf Coast see lots of wet, humid days. Soggy soil isn’t conducive to many plants, but—you guessed it—carpetgrass doesn’t mind at all.

Low Maintenance

Another reason why common carpetgrass is so popular in parks and along roadways is that it is extremely easy to care for. You could say that it grows like a weed, which is why many people see it as one. With just some regular mowing and watering, most carpetgrass will thrive, saving you time, money, and effort.

Good Cover Crop

If you want simple, robust, and easy-to-care-for turfgrass to protect your soil from erosion, carpetgrass could be a great option. It doesn’t need healthy soil or a lot of care. Carpetgrass can grow in shade, acidic soil, and sandy soil. It can also grow on slopes and can even serve as a decent grazing crop if you have horses or other grazers.

The Drawbacks of Carpetgrass

If you’re struggling to get your lawn started or to keep your current lawn alive, carpetgrass could be a good option, especially if you like the idea of a low-maintenance lawn. However, before you start planting carpetgrass seeds, make sure you understand its drawbacks.

Not the Traditional American Lawn

Carpetgrass can provide good turfgrass coverage, but it will never look like the traditional, lush American lawn. If you don’t keep carpetgrass maintained, it can begin to look scraggly or even weedy. You’ll need to be okay with having a lawn that looks a little different from the norm.

Requires Frequent Mowing

Common carpetgrass grows quickly, especially in the hot summer months. In fact, in its peak growing stage, it can pop out new seed heads every five days. Tall sprouts and seed heads make a carpetgrass yard look weedy and unkempt.

For that reason, you’ll need to mow your carpetgrass lawn at least weekly.

It Can Crowd Out Other Species

On the one hand, quickly growing carpetgrass means your lawn can fill in quickly. On the other hand, you’ll need to be careful that your carpetgrass doesn’t overgrow your pavers, your garden, or separate areas around your trees. You’ll want to edge and prune your carpetgrass on a regular basis so it doesn’t encroach on other areas of your lawn.

It Can Brown Quickly

Carpetgrass doesn’t like cold weather and will go dormant if the temperature drops too much. That can lead to a lawn full of brown, unattractive grass. If you live in the Deep South, this likely won’t be much of a problem, but the odd cold snap will put your carpetgrass into dormancy.

Caring for Carpetgrass

As we’ve mentioned, one of the biggest benefits of common carpetgrass is that it requires relatively minimal turfgrass management. However, a low-maintenance lawn isn’t the same thing as a no-maintenance lawn.

Good turfgrass management will require you to mow your lawn at least weekly during the hotter months of the year. While you can mow carpetgrass down to ¾ inch, it often looks best when mowed between 1.5 and 2 inches.

Carpetgrass also loves moisture, so watering should be increased during drier days of the season.

While you don’t normally need to fertilize established carpetgrass, it can be a good idea to fertilize your lawn after planting carpetgrass seeds to give it a healthier start. That said, watch out for over-fertilization. If you give your common carpetgrass too much nutrition, the grass will grow quickly, which can lead to layers of thatch (dead grass and debris that accumulates on your lawn).

Finally, carpetgrass can be sensitive to many herbicides, so be very careful when using these chemicals on your lawn. Check the label to make sure a specific herbicide won’t damage your carpetgrass.

Struggling with Your Lawn? We Can Help

Many homeowners turn to common carpetgrass as a last resort when nothing else will grow in their soil. While carpetgrass can create a lovely lawn when properly managed, your soil may not be as hopeless as you think.

Find The Grounds Guys® nearest you to consult with professionals who understand the challenges of your area’s climate and may be able to rehabilitate your soil so that more common grass can grow. If not, we can make your carpetgrass lawn look as good as possible with regular mowing, watering, and solid turfgrass management.

Learn more about how our Neighborly Done Right Promise™ sets us apart from the competition. If you’d like expert assistance with your lawn, contact us today for a free estimate!