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Empire Zoysia turf

EMPIRE® Zoysia – The Answer for Florida Lawns

By Katie Jacobs

Maintaining a Florida lawn is no simple task as every Sunshine State homeowner knows well. The state’s extreme heat, dense humidity and disease susceptibility make for an environment in which keeping a lawn healthy and thriving isn’t easy.

 


In the late ‘90s, EMPIRE® Zoysia was discovered in lush, tropical Brazil and brought to the U.S. as a solution for Florida’s climate challenges. The introduction of EMPIRE demonstrated a zoysia grass that not only 

tolerated but thrived in these environments and succeeded where others had failed. As a result, this changed people’s mindsets about zoysia grass adaptability.

Unlike zoysia grasses of the past, EMPIRE handles periods of serious drought, which any Florida homeowner knows is important. EMPIRE is tough when it comes to making it through Florida’s often brutally hot and humid weather. 

St. Augustine grasses, like Floratam, are common lawns throughout Florida. EMPIRE is comparably strong when it comes to heat and humidity and is much softer-to-the-touch 

than Floratam. 

Another difference is that EMPIRE is much more densethan Floratam and other 

St. Augustines, making weed growth less prolific. What may be the biggest advantage to a grass like EMPIRE in Florida is its resistance to chinch bugs, a serious nuisance to 

St. Augustine grasses in the state. Given the right amount of time, hard-to-see chinch bugs frequently damage or even completely destroy St. Augustine lawns.

One of the favorite things about EMPIRE Zoysia is that it’s family friendly. EMPIRE is a great pick for its wear tolerance as it handles all of the foot traffic a family home lawn experiences with kids and pets. Homeowners love that it’s easy to maintain, requiring less mowing and chemical applications than some of its competitors. EMPIRE is best kept at an easy 1–2 inchmowing height to help prevent disease outbreaks during the warm days and cool nights Florida occasionally experiences.

Additionally, EMPIRE is a gorgeous choice for home landscapes. Its medium blades 

and dark green color make for serious curb appeal. Offering a unique look in Florida, its beauty will stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. 

“You can mow it at a shorter height which creates a nice clean, crisp look on that lawn. It definitely stands out if you’re driving by a neighborhood and there’s an EMPIRE lawn.” 

– Tiffany Bailey, Bayside Sod (Bradenton, FL)

Florida is a state with a truly unique environment with many different challenges, and EMPIRE Zoysia has continued to meet those demands for over two decades. The Proven Zoysia Grass®, EMPIRE Zoysia, is a great pick for homeowners looking for a beautiful, low maintenance lawn.