Difference Between Zoysia Grass & Crabgrass

Zoysia grass is often used for lawns, athletic fields and golf courses.


Although crabgrass and zoysia are both summer grasses that grow in warm, sunny locations, they are very different. Crabgrass is usually considered an undesirable weed that is a nuisance to homeowners and landscapers. Zoysia is a common turf grass that produces a lush, green lawn when grown in the right conditions. Distinguishing crabgrass from zoysia is easy, once you know a few facts about each species.


Crabgrass is an annual summer grass that is classified as a weed. Crabgrass is found throughout most of Canada and the United States but grows best in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10. The two main types of crabgrass found in North America are large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum). Originally from Asia, zoysia is a warm-season, perennial turf grass that grows in USDA zones 5 through 10. Zoysia grass grows actively from summer to early fall but becomes dormant in winter. It is available in many cultivars and hybrids. “El Toro,” “Myer” and “Emerald” are widely used cultivars of Zoysia japonica.


Crabgrass sometimes grows upright but typically grows in a flattened, prostrate habit. It grows in patches, producing branched stems that spread outward to form thick mats that choke out other grasses. Roots grow from nodes on the stems. Crabgrass blades are coarsely textured, are yellowish-green and grow about 1 to 8 inches long. The sheath and blades of large crabgrass (sometimes called hairy crabgrass) are covered with dense hairs. Although color and blade thickness vary by cultivar, zoysia grass is generally deep or bright green with stiff, upright, fine blades. During winter dormancy, zoysia grass ceases growing and turns a pale, straw color. Zoysia spreads by stolens and rhizomes and, once established, forms a dense, carpetlike lawn. Blades grow up to 6 inches tall but are best maintained around 1 to 2 inches.

Life Cycle

Crabgrass is an invasive weed that grows rapidly in favorable conditions. It tolerates poor soils and dry conditions and tends to grow prolifically in poorly maintained or unhealthy lawns. Crabgrass grows throughout the warm, summer months, producing thousands of seeds before dying in fall. Seeds last through the winter and germinate the following spring when temperatures rise above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Zoysia is a slow-growing grass that can take several years to become established unless it is installed as sod. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil and, once established, can choke out crabgrass and other weeds. Unlike crabgrass, zoysia does not die but becomes dormant in fall and begins growing again in late spring.


Crabgrass is grown as forage in some areas of the Midwest because it is palatable to livestock and withstands conditions that many cool-weather grasses cannot tolerate. Zoysia grass withstands high foot traffic and is commonly used for lawns, athletic fields, golf courses and hot, sunny areas where fescue lawns cannot survive.

About the Author

Based in the Atlanta area, Charlene Williams has been writing and editing since 1988. She has over 15 years of experience working as a technical writer in the software industry. She has worked as a freelance writer for the past five years, and is a contributing writer for eHow and Answerbag. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Kennesaw State University.

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