Lawn Alternatives: Grasses and Groundcovers

By Antonia Torrey, UC Master Gardener

Seashore Bentgrass (Agrostis pallens) – California native: characteristics table
1. Seashore Bentgrass (Agrostis pallens) – California Native
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant to regular
Sunset climate zones	1-9, 14-24
Soil	Adaptable
Sun Exposure	Sun to shade
Height	4-12 inches
Leaf color	Light green
Flower	Golden spike clusters to 2 feet
Maintenance	Occasional mowing
Trims into a lawn	Yes
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold-Yes
Dormancy	In dry gardens fully summer dormant but can be maintained with water
Wildlife	Deer resistant

UC Verde Buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) – California native (bred at UC Davis): characteristics table
2. UC Verde Buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) – California Native, bred at UC Davis
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Yes
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	5-24
Soil	Adaptable
Sun Exposure	Does best in full sun
Height	6-7 inches
Leaf color	Bright green
Flower	Seedless
Maintenance	Occasional mowing
Trims into a lawn	Yes
Temp Tolerance	Heat Yes, Cold No
Dormancy	Winter dormant if frost areas
Wildlife	Deer resistant

Clustered Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis) – California native: characteristics table
3. Clustered Field Sedge (Carex praegracilis) - California Native
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Yes, extremely durable
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	1-5, 15-17, 22-24
Soil	Tolerant of poor soils
Sun Exposure	Full sun to partial shade
Height	16 inches
Leaf color	Green to yellow-green
Flower	Inconspicuous
Maintenance	Fast growing, regular mowing
Trims into a lawn	Yes
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Away from coast, will turn brown with minimal summer irrigation
Wildlife	Deer resistant

Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae) – South Africa native (Sunflower family): characteristics table
4. Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae) – South Africa Native (Sunflower family)
Disease and pests	Gophers
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant, occasional to regular
Sunset climate zones	17-24
Soil	Likes well drained
Sun Exposure	Sun to partial shade
Height	3 inches
Leaf color	Green and silver-white
Flower	Small daisy-like yellow
Maintenance	Occasional weeding, good grower
Trims into a lawn	No trimming
Temp Tolerance	Frost tender
Dormancy	Evergreen perennial
Wildlife	Attracts butterflies

Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) – Europe native (‘Festina’): characteristics table
5. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) – Europe Native – ‘Festina’
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	No
Water	Drought tolerant, occasional to regular
Sunset climate zones	1-9, 14-24
Soil	Adaptable, grows best in well drained
Sun Exposure	Coast full sun, interior partial shade
Height	10 to 18 inches
Leaf color	Blue to silver blue
Flower	Summer in spikes
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Not too well; grows in dense tufts
Temp Tolerance	Cold- yes, Hot- no
Dormancy	Evergreen
Wildlife	Deer resistant

Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis) – California native (‘Siskiyou Blue’): characteristics table
6. Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis) – California Native – ‘Siskiyou Blue’
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant, occasional to regular
Sunset climate zones	1-10, 14-24
Soil	Tolerant of most types
Sun Exposure	Coast full sun, interior partial shad
Height	12 to 18 inches
Leaf color	Blue to blue green
Flower	Amber 18 inches above foliage
Maintenance	Occasional dividing
Trims into a lawn	Not too well; grows in dense clumps
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Evergreen
Wildlife	Deer resistant

Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) – California native (‘Molate’): characteristics table
7. Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) – California Native – ‘Molate’
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Some tolerance
Water	Drought tolerant, occasional to reg.
Sunset climate zones	A2, A3,
Soil	Not fussy
Sun Exposure	One of the most shade tolerant grasses. Coast full sun, interior partial shade
Height	6 to 12 inches
Leaf color	Narrow dark green blades
Flower	Inconspicuous
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Yes
Temp Tolerance	Not well in hot climates, except shady dry areas
Dormancy	Evergreen
Wildlife	Deer resistant

Kurapia (Lippia nodiflora) – ‘Kurapia New White’ or ‘Kurapia Pink’: characteristics table
8. Kurapia (Lippia nodiflora) - ‘Kurapia New White’ or ‘Kurapia Pink’
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Light
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	1-9, 14-24
Soil	Adaptable
Sun Exposure	Full sun; tolerates partial shade
Height	4-12 inches
Leaf color	Dark green
Flower	White or pink
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	No trimming
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Evergreen in winter; semi-dormant when average daily temperature falls below 38°
Wildlife	Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – California native: characteristics table
9. Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - California Native
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant once established
Sunset climate zones	A1, A3, 1-24
Soil	Adapts to a variety of soil compositions, from sandy, to loamy, to clay
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Height	Up to three feet.
Leaf color	Green to grayish-green
Flower	White, yellow, pink, red, purple, orange
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Mow or clip for ground cover
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Winter
Wildlife	Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant

Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile): characteristics table
10. Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Disease and pests	Aphids, thrips, mealybugs
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Fairly drought tolerant once established
Sunset climate zones	2-24
Soil	Will grow well in poor soil
Sun Exposure	Full sun or partial shade
Height	3-6 inches
Leaf color	Bright light green
Flower	Resemble little daisies
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Mow or clip for ground cover
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Winter
Wildlife	Attracts bees; deer resistant

Creeping Oregano (Origanum vulgare) - ‘Humile’: characteristics table
11. Creeping Oregano (Origanum vulgare) - ‘Humile’
Disease and pests	Spider mites, aphids
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	1-24
Soil	Tolerant of poor soils, needs good drainage
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Height	6 inches
Leaf color	Light green
Flower	Purple, pink, or white
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Mow or clip for ground cover
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Late fall and winter
Wildlife	Attracts butterflies; deer resistant

Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - ‘Pink Chintz’: characteristics table
12. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) - ‘Pink Chintz’
Disease and pests	Spider mites, aphids
Tolerant of foot traffic	Yes
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	A1, 1A, 1B, A2, 1-22
Soil	Adaptable
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Height	2-3 inches
Leaf color	Blueish green
Flower	Pink
Maintenance	Low
Trims into a lawn	Mow or clip to stimulate new growth
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	:Late fall and winter
Wildlife	Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant

Nana Dwarf Carpet of Stars (Ruschia lineolata): characteristics table
13. Nana Dwarf Carpet of Stars (Ruschia lineolata)
Disease and pest free	Yes
Tolerant of foot traffic	Moderate
Water	Drought tolerant
Sunset climate zones	16-26, H1, H2
Soil	Tolerates a range of soil types
Sun Exposure	Full sun to partial shade
Height	2 inches
Leaf color	Green and silver white
Flower	White with pink stripes
Maintenance	Very low
Trims into a lawn	No trimming
Temp Tolerance	Heat and Cold- Yes
Dormancy	Evergreen perennial
Wildlife	Attracts bees and butterflies; deer resistant

References

No-Mow Fineleaf Fescue Grasses for California Urban Landscapes. UC ANR. No-Mow Fineleaf Fescue Grasses for California Urban Landscapes (ucanr.edu)

‘UC Verde’ Buffalograss. UCCE. Environ, Horticulture ,Pears, Cherries and Viticulture.

'UC Verde' Buffalograss - Environ. Horticulture, Pears, Cherries, and Viticulture (ucanr.edu)