The Best Grass Seed For Texas
Across the great state of Texas, plateaus and prairies take over much of the topography. Also mixed with mountainous and marshy regions, this region offers no single answer when it comes to the type of grass seed that thrives best.
This means that no matter which part of Texas you live in, you’ll need a high-quality grass seed to withstand the combination of subtropical heat and arid lands.
Best Grass Seed for Texas State
The majority of Texas has flat, drylands that are primarily found in plains and desert-like areas. However, there are also a few other zones that are unique to parts of the state, including:
- Great Plains (North Texas)
- Southwest Steppe (Southwest Texas)
- Southern Subtropics (Southeast Texas)
- South Atlantic Transitional (Northeast Texas)
When searching for the right grass seed, it’s best to begin with the zone you live in. The zone map is a standard that helps seed growers determine which plants can thrive in that area based on the local temperatures.
Texas is fairly large, so it’s split into two zone maps, with East Texas mainly being Zones 7b through 10a. West Texas is primarily made up of Zones 6b through 9a.
These are incredibly diverse zones that allow for different climates, ranging from dry air in the desert to thick humidity along the coastal region.
With its arid plains and subtropical temperatures, warm-season grasses do best in most of Texas. Some of the most common species that can thrive in these regions are bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass (winter only), and tall fescue among several blends and mixes.
Type #1: Bermudagrass
Because of its durability in the full sun, bermudagrass is a vibrant green seed that is also one of the most popular species across the southernmost regions. Some of its most notable features also include:
- A thick, coarse texture
- Does well in high-traffic areas
- Minimal water requirements
- Can withstand heatwaves
Bermudagrass can handle the intense heat that comes with living in the south, making it ideal for most lawns across Texas state. Bermudagrass also has excellent traffic tolerance, which means that it’s great for sports fields, public spaces, or high-traffic yards.
Type #2: Perennial Ryegrass
In Texas, perennial ryegrass is used primarily to overseed dormant warm-season lawns in the winter. It has several excellent qualities:
- Does well in full sun or shady areas
- Perfect for high-traffic lawns and sports fields
- Bright green color like bermudagrass
- Quick to germinate and establish
Perennial ryegrass is an excellent lawn choice because it establishes in half the time of other popular varieties. Like bermudagrass, it also has great traffic tolerance, which makes it perfect for winter time athletic fields, golf courses, campuses, and front lawns in Texas.
Type #3: Tall Fescue
Tall fescue is a cool-season grass with a deep, dark green color. Tall fescue is perfect for those in the Texas heat that have added shade, particularly in the Panhandle-Plains in the northern regions. Here are some more notable features about tall fescue:
- Does well in part-sun and full-shade
- Adaptable to both sandy and clay soils
- Deep root system
- Traffic tolerant
Tall fescue is fairly quick to establish (10-15 days), and is one of the most heat tolerant cool-season grasses that can be used in Texas. It’s also well-known for its shade tolerance, which makes it one of the only adaptable species that can thrive in hot regions without much available sun.
Type #4: Wildflower Seed Blends and Alternative Lawns
Wildflower seed blends can make good pairings when combined with certain grasses. For example, sheep fescue partners well with the Midwest Wildflower Blend to create a natural, meadow-like lawn. White dutch clover is a popular lawn alternative, as well as the Texas-native buffalograss.
There are also varieties that serve specific purposes, like the deer-resistant wildflower blend or the decorative and hardy ornamental grasses.