Carpetgrass is one of the lesser-known warm-season grasses found in the southeastern United States. While not as widely used or promoted as other warm-season turf types, carpetgrass is a great option for certain environments due to its unique qualities and low-maintenance needs.
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind lawn that will make your yard stand out from the rest, keep reading to find out if carpetgrass is the right turf for you!
Carpetgrass (Axonopus spp.) is a warm-season, perennial grass native to the Gulf Coast states and parts of Central and South America. It thrives in moist, acidic, and poorly drained soils where many other turfgrasses struggle. Known for its coarse texture and low-growing habit, carpetgrass is most often found in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and east Texas, although it can be found in patches as far north as the Carolinas and Arkansas.
This grass earned the name “carpetgrass” because of the dense, mat-like coverage it forms when properly established, creating the appearance of a natural green carpet. It requires minimal fertilization, handles shade better than many warm-season grasses, and is quite tolerant of poor soil fertility. These qualities make it a good candidate for minimal-care lawns or areas where lawn aesthetics are less important than ease of care.
Key Characteristics:
Carpetgrass has a distinctive appearance that sets it apart from finer-textured turfgrasses. It has coarse, flat blades that are typically a light to medium green. The leaves are wide and have a blunt tip, growing mostly upright but forming a dense mat as the grass spreads horizontally. The leaf texture is rougher than grasses like Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass, which may make it less appealing for high-end lawns.
One of the key identifying features of carpetgrass is its flowering habit. During the growing season, especially late spring to early fall, it produces seedheads that rise above the foliage and bear two finger-like spikes (sometimes three) with tiny, dark-colored seeds. While this trait helps with natural propagation, some homeowners find the seedheads visually unappealing and may need to mow more frequently during this period to maintain a clean look.
Whether carpetgrass is a weed or a turfgrass depends on your intentions. In some contexts, it's considered a turfgrass when it is intentionally planted and cultivated for ground coverage. However, when it invades other turf types or natural areas where it's not wanted, it is often seen as a weed. If you're trying to grow Kentucky bluegrass or centipedegrass and carpetgrass takes over, it’s a weed. If you’re intentionally growing it as the primary ground cover in your yard, it's turfgrass.
This dual identity is not uncommon in the world of grasses. Much like crabgrass or creeping bentgrass, carpetgrass can thrive on its own in neglected lawns, roadsides, or pastures, leading some to dismiss it as undesirable. When carpetgrass is properly maintained in the right region and soil conditions, however, it forms a healthy, thick, erosion-resistant turf that serves as a valuable low-maintenance option.
Common carpetgrass and tropical carpetgrass are the two main types of carpetgrass used for turf or found in lawns. The differences between the two are subtle in a lawn setting, and most American lawns that contain carpetgrass are made up of common carpetgrass. Neither type is usually sold in named cultivars like other turfgrasses, so most available seed is simply labeled “carpetgrass” without further classification.
This is the most commonly found species in lawns and roadsides. It has more narrow leaves and coarse leaf texture, and itis known for its low-growing, mat-forming characteristics. This type is more shade-tolerant than many other grasses and is typically used in areas with less direct sunlight. In Louisiana and throughout many areas of the South, common carpetgrass can create a unique and dense lawn.
Also known as broadleaf carpetgrass, this species has wider leaves and is found in tropical and subtropical climates. It’s more commonly seen in South America, the Caribbean, and parts of Southeast Asia. While it can grow in parts of the southeastern U.S., it is less cold-tolerant and is more often intentionally seeded in tropical settings.
Carpetgrass spreads primarily through above-ground stems called stolons, which creep along the soil surface and root at the nodes. This spreading habit is the manner through which it forms a dense, continuous mat of leaf blades that helps smother weeds and resist erosion. It prefers acidic soils with a pH between 4.5 and 6.0 and tolerates poorly drained, sandy, or clay-heavy soils better than most grasses.
Growth is strongest during the warm months of late spring through early fall. It slows considerably when temperatures drop and goes completely dormant during the winter. In areas that experience frost, carpetgrass will brown out and may even die if prolonged cold conditions occur. Susceptibility to frost is often seen as the major drawback of carpetgrass lawns.
Although carpetgrass is considered a low-maintenance option compared to other warm-season grasses, it still requires thoughtful care to thrive. Regular mowing and occasional feeding can help this grass establish a dense, weed-resistant surface that minimizes erosion and supports a healthy lawn ecosystem. Because carpetgrass is sensitive to excessive nitrogen and frost damage, maintaining the right balance in your lawn care routine is key to long-term success.
If you are in the Baton Rouge or Lafayette areas, reach out to us here at Brothers Lawn Service & Landscaping for more information on sodding, seeding, and maintaining your Louisiana lawn!
If you are looking for a reliable lawn care company in Lafayette & Baton Rouge, then look no further. Brothers Lawn Service & Landscaping is your full-service lawn care expert and we promise a 100% satisfaction guaranteed! We ensure the quality of our service by providing personal attention to each and every lawn.