One of the garden trends we mentioned earlier this year was the “hyperlocal” one – the use of native and region-specific grasses, flowers, trees, and ornamentals in order to cut back maintenance costs and promote beautiful, lush lawns and landscapes that need little care. When it comes to naturescaping and hyperlocal gardening, a specific trend stands out: the replacement of traditional turf with native local grasses – they may not look the same, but they are definitely more resilient to heat, pests, diseases, and other extreme weather conditions. Turf replacements are not new as an idea: such projects are gaining more and more popularity in Texas, for instance, as heat, water restrictions and huge bills related to turf irrigation and care determined owners to choose native grass species. Today, our lawn care Daytona Beach FL specialists have chosen three native Floridian grasses that can successfully replace all traditional, high-maintenance turfs and make your property look like a small corner of wild paradise.

1. Panic Grass

Don’t let the name fool you! Panic grass is an excellent choice for Floridians, as it fares well in dry, acidic, slightly acidic, and slightly alkaline soils. It loves to be in full sun, but it also grows well in partial shade as well. It also grows fast and tall (the mature height being 1 – 5 ft) and it has an amazingly high tolerance to draught. This grass looks incredibly well and offers you tan pink / violet small flowers in summer – a carpet of beauty and color with almost no maintenance required. Our lawn care Daytona Beach FL specialists favor this particular grass because it attracts wildlife, thus sustaining the micro-ecosystem on your property, producing more oxygen and being a veritable safe heaven for beneficial birds and insects.

2. Florida Gama Grass

A true native grass, this one will fill your property with long, lush, green blades of wonder. It looks luxurious, wild, and bountiful. It is used to stabilize banks and steep slopes, so it grows quite strong and resilient to almost anything. It can thrive in medium moist soils, but it needs a bit of watering. It has quite a good tolerance to draught. It loves the sun and needs little shade to enjoy itself. It grows 2 – 4 ft when reaches maturity and will surprise you with its yellow flowers all spring and summer long. It thrives well in acidic, slightly acidic, or slightly alkaline soil, it tolerates salt well and it needs little to no maintenance.

3. Fakahatchee Grass

Our lawn care Daytona Beach FL experts left this grass the last, as it rises to all naturescaping principles’ requirements: it needs dry and medium-moist soils to thrive (occasionally tolerating wet soils as well), it is pest resilient, it grows fast and tall (4 – 6 ft) and will embellish your property in spring and summer with cream/orange/red or yellow flowers. It offers a green show all hot season long. It loves the sun, needing also partial shade to thrive and grows in almost all types of soil, including acidic, slightly acidic, and slightly alkaline ones. It has a medium tolerance to salt and will make your lawn care efforts a breeze.

If you want to learn more about naturescaping and turf replacements, talk to your local lawn care Daytona Beach FL specialists.