Q: I was considering replacing some of my lawn but I was told not to plant victory grass in its place. What can you tell me about victory grass?

A: I have not heard of victory grass but then I realized your friend might have been referring to the seed head of a type of bahiagrass called Pensacola. The seed head is “v-shape” hence the sign meaning victory. Pensacola bahiagrass got its name from the city Pensacola, Florida from where the grass was selected in 1935. There are several varieties of bahiagrass but it is commonly used along roadsides because of its ability to handle numerous stresses. This ability is the result of its deep root system.

Pensacola is not the best choice of bahiagrass for home lawns as the v-shaped seed head is tough to mow and keep short when using a typical home mower. A better choice of bahiagrass for home lawns would be Argentine bahiagrass as it has a wider and darker green colored blade than Pensacola. Argentine bahiagrass is also disease and insect resistant and cold tolerant. Before selecting a grass for your home landscape consider having the soil tested to better determine which type of grass might be better suited for your area. Contact your local Extension Office for soil test kits and more information of different types of lawngrass. Check out the University of Florida website on residential lawn varieties for the most current information. http://hort.ufl.edu/yourfloridalawn/

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