What is the most common difference between Meyer Zoysia grass and Emerald Zoysia grass? If we take a look at the appearance, Meyer Zoysia grass has a wider leaf compared to Emerald Zoysia grass. If you are looking for the best type of Zoysia grass, then these two varieties will be on your top list.
However, choosing one between them can be a tough task. You need to consider many things, like growth characteristics, tolerance rate, and maintenance. Don’t worry! We will make this task easy for you by covering all the differentiation factors between meyer zoysia vs emerald zoysia in this article. Keep reading this entire article to know more.
Quick Battlefield for Meyer Zoysia Vs Emerald Zoysia
| Key Differences | Meyer Zoysia | Emerald Zoysia |
| Leaf characteristics | It has a very fine leaf texture | It has a medium leaf texture |
| Growth characteristics | It is best suited to the transition zone | It requires 4-5 hours of sun daily for proper growth. |
| Tolerance rate | It has more cold tolerance compared to Emerald Zoysia grass. | It has more shade tolerance but less winter roughness compared to Meyer Zoysia grass. |
| Maintenance | Needs more maintenance compared to Emerald Zoysia | Needs less maintenance compared to Meyer Zoysia |
Now, let’s dive deep into the difference between meyer and emerald zoysia grass.
Leaf Characteristics Differences Between Meyer Zoysia And Emerald Zoysia
As said, Emerald Zoysia grass has an extremely fine leaf texture. It is a Hybrid Zoysia between Zoysia tenuifolia and Zoysia japonica and was introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1955. It is one of the most attractive and famous varieties of Zoysia grass. Emerald Zoysia has a deep-green or dark green color that will stand out against surrounding lawns.
Our researchers have found out that several people describe this thick grass as looking like a hedgehog.
Now, if you want to know about Meyer Zoysia’s leaf characteristics as known as Z-52, then you need to know that its leaf is wider than Emerald Zoysia grass. The leaves of the Meyer Zoysia grass are medium in texture, and the color is dark green.
Meyer Zoysia grass was released in 1951, and it’s a hybrid of Zoysia japonica.
Comparing Growth Characteristics Between These Two Varieties Of Zoysia Grass
Meyer Zoysia grass spreads more quickly than most other types of zoysia grass. It has a dense growth that helps prevent weeds. You will have to buy it from a store in sod form as it isn’t available as a seed.
Compared to EL, Meyer Zoysia is a slow-growing grass. It is best suited to the transition zone, where winters are very cold for Bermuda grass and summers are very humid and hot for cool season grasses.
Emerald Zoysia grass grows quite slowly. Therefore, you will not require mowing it as often as several other types of grass. It has a high shoot density. Emerald Zoysia grass requires 4-5 hours of sun daily for proper growth. It doesn’t grow really well in limited light conditions, for example, in the shade.
There are other Zoysia grass varieties that are better suited to shade. We wouldn’t recommend Emerald Zoysia grass for lawns that get fewer than six hours of shade throughout a day in the growing season.
Tolerance Rate Comparison Of Meyer Zoysia And Emerald Zoysia
Most people ask about the tolerance rate of these two types of grass when differentiating between Emerald zoysia vs meyer zoysia. If you also have this question, then we have got the answer for you. Starting with Meyer Zoysia grass, it displays excellent cold tolerance in the transition zone. It develops an extremely dense turf, displays nice cold tolerance, and grows excellently in partial shade.
We have found out that many people often refer to Meyer Zoysia grass as the “Cadillac of lawn grass.” It adapts to several different types of soil and has a high tolerance for heat. Meyer Zoysia grass enjoys full sun. This type of grass is drought resistant but needs a minimum of 1 inch of water every week to develop to its full potential.
Now, to talk about Emerald Zoysia grass, it has more shade tolerance compared to Meyer Zoysia grass. However, Emerald Zoysia grass has less winter hardiness than Meyer Zoysia grass. It has extreme resistance to wear, and it is tolerant of shady areas. Emerald Zoysia is drought tolerant, but it still needs around 1 to 1 1/4″ of water per week to look healthy throughout the warmest months of the summer.
On sandy soils, it frequently needs more watering, for instance, 1/2″ of water in each third day. Emerald Zoysia grass’s light green-gray color and the shortening of its leaves are indicators that it’s time to put water on it.
Differentiating Maintenance Between These Two Types Of Grasses
Compared to other zoysia grass varieties, like Innovation Zoysia grass, Meyer Zoysia grass is more prone to bluegrass billbug and disease. It is also more prone to nematode damage and is not recommended for use where nematodes are an issue. Generally, nematode issues are more common in soils that are sandy. Meyer Zoysia grass needs more maintenance compared to Emerald Zoysia grass.
On the other hand, Emerald Zoysia grass needs little maintenance. However, the Emerald Zoysia grass will rapidly develop excess thatch if over-fertilized. Emerald zoysia is also susceptible to winter damage.
You should only use Emerald Zoysia grass for top-notch lawns where nice maintenance practices will occur. In addition, we strongly recommend only mowing Emerald Zoysia grass with a reel mower. So, when we compare meyer vs emerald zoysia for maintenance, Emerald Zoysia grass wins as it needs less maintenance.
This Video Can Be A Great Help Too!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Emerald Zoysia the same as Meyer Zoysia?
No, Emerald Zoysia grass is not the same as Meyer Zoysia grass, though both are Hybrid Zoysia. There are many differences between these two varieties of Zoysia grass. Emerald Zoysia grass is a fine-textured grass that is probably the most attractive zoysia grass. On the other hand, Meyer Zoysia grass has wider leaves than Emerald Zoysia grass.
What is the most shade tolerant Zoysia?
There are a lot of arguments that we found out when we researched the answer to this question. Generally, Zoysia grass is a shade tolerant grass that has more shade tolerance than Bermuda grass. Zeon Zoysia grass and Royal Zoysia grass are two of the most shade tolerant varieties of Zoysia. Some people also put Emerald Zoysia grass on this list, though it has a low tolerance for cold temperatures.
Will Emerald Zoysia grow in shade?
Yes, Emerald Zoysia grass will grow in shade as it has good shade tolerance. All grasses need some sun, but Emerald Zoysia grass is more shade tolerant than several other types of grass. Emerald Zoysia grass is suitable for the warm season. It needs as little as 4 to 5 hours of sun daily and will be a suitable replacement for several Fescue yards.
Does emerald zoysia spread?
Yes, Emerald Zoysia grass spreads, but it spreads very slowly. It is because this variety of Zoysia grass has an extremely slow growth habit. As Emerald Zoysia grass has a slow growth habit, we recommend using the SOD method to install it. However, grass plugs can be used as well if there is a possibility of developing a thick lawn in some more time.
How much sun does emerald zoysia need?
Emerald Zoysia grass performs excellently from the whole sun to medium shade. According to some experts, 3 to 4 hours of the whole sun daily is a good thing for the healthy growth of the Emerald Zoysia grass. Some other experts recommend 4 to 5 hours of full sun daily for proper growth of the Emerald Zoysia grass. We recommend no less than 6 hours of full sun every day for its healthy growth.
Final Verdict
Finally, coming to the end of the comparison, we can say that both Meyer Zoysia grass and Emerald Zoysia grass have given us a tough time choosing one between them. While Meyer Zoysia grass has more cold tolerance than Emerald Zoysia grass, Emerald Zoysia grass has more shade tolerance than Meyer Zoysia grass.
The Emerald Zoysia grass also needs less maintenance compared to the Meyer Zoysia grass. Nevertheless, the final choice is yours, and you need to choose one between these two types of grass according to your needs and environment. Still, we request you to follow all the differences between the meyer zoysia vs emerald zoysia grass discussed in this article before choosing one between them.