Lawn Alternatives
Turf lawn
| Cool season grass – dormant in warm seasons | ||
| Cool season grass mix | Heavy traffic | |
| Warm season grass – dormant in cooler seasons | ||
| St. Augustine Grass | Stenotaphrum secundatum | Heavy traffic |
Turf like
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | Moderate traffic |
| California Field Sedge | Carex praegracilis | Moderate traffic |
Ground covers
| Lippia nodiflora | Moderate traffic | |
| Silver carpet | Dymondia margaretae | Light traffic |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium ‘Paprika’ | Moderate traffic |
Meadow
| Native California wildflower meadow mix | ||
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium ‘Paprika’ | Moderate traffic |
Blue grama grass
Bouteloua gracilis
Grows well in both full sun and partial shade, green in the summer and dormant during the cool season. Tolerates moderate foot traffic. Popular in the shortgrass prairie of the Great Plains, it enjoys a range of well-drained soil types.
Blue oat grass
Helicotrichon sempervirens
A cool season grass enjoying full sun, tolerating heat, it is an evergreen perennial that grows up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Grows best in dry soils, as it can rot when heavily irrigated.
Meadow sedge
Carex praegracilis
Native to North America, meadow sedge can grow up to 12 inches tall. Prefers full sun to light shade, needs some summer moisture, but overall it is tolerant to drought, poor soils, temperature extremes, and foot traffic.
Purple needlegrass
Nassella (Stipa) pulchra
Grows about 18” tall and 12” wide, this perennial bunchgrass has showy purple heads and tough deep roots good for preventing soil erosion.
