Start with the sun
Almost every sod decision in North Texas comes down to one question: how many hours of direct sun does the lawn get? Six or more and you’re a Bermuda yard. Under mature oaks and pecans, you’re a St. Augustine yard. Somewhere in between, with a taste for a softer, denser lawn, and Zoysia earns its price.
Side by side
| Bermuda | St. Augustine | Zoysia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun it needs | Six or more hours | Handles deep shade under trees | Full sun to part shade |
| Shade tolerance | Poor | Best of the three | Good, better in fine-bladed types |
| Foot traffic | Best, and repairs itself fast | Least, and repairs slowly | Good, but slow to recover |
| Water once rooted | Least | Most | Middle |
| Mowing | 1-2 in, weekly in season | 2.5-4 in, weekly in season | 1-2.5 in, every 10-14 days |
| Delivered, from | $269 / pallet ($0.60 / sq ft) | $265 / pallet ($0.59 / sq ft) | $365 / pallet ($0.81 / sq ft) |
| Installed with prep | $800-1,000 / pallet | $800-1,000 / pallet | $800-1,000 / pallet |
| Cold tolerance | Good | Weakest of the three | Good |
Sun, shade, traffic, and water rankings follow Texas A&M AgriLife’s AggieTurf species pages, listed under Sources. Prices are the current per-pallet prices on the sod page, which change with the season.
Bermuda
Full sun, drought hardy, and self-repairing. Bermuda is the default for most DFW lawns and the cheapest per square foot. It handles kids, dogs, and August. In shade it thins and dies. Delivered pallets start at $269 / pallet ($0.60 / sq ft); installed with prep, $800-1,000 / pallet. See the Bermuda varieties.
St. Augustine
The shade grass. Wide, lush blades and a deep green color that lives happily under trees. It wants more water than Bermuda and takes less foot traffic. Raleigh is the North Texas standard because it handles our winters. Delivered pallets start at $265 / pallet ($0.59 / sq ft); installed with prep, $800-1,000 / pallet. See the St. Augustine varieties.
Zoysia
Slow growing, thick, and soft underfoot. Zoysia tolerates a mix of sun and partial shade, crowds out weeds, and needs less mowing. It costs the most up front. Delivered pallets start at $365 / pallet ($0.81 / sq ft); installed with prep, $800-1,000 / pallet. See the Zoysia varieties.
Mixed-light yards
Plenty of DFW homes run two grasses: Bermuda on the sunny front and St. Augustine under the trees in back. The seam disappears in a season. Tell us where the sun falls and we’ll plan both.
Quick picker
- Full sun, active family, budget minded: Tifway 419 or TifTuf Bermuda.
- Full sun, want the darkest color: Celebration Bermuda.
- Shade under big trees: Raleigh or Palmetto St. Augustine.
- Mixed light, soft and low maintenance: Palisades or Empire Zoysia.
- The showpiece lawn: Emerald Zoysia.
Still not sure? Compare the families side by side or just ask us.
Questions people ask
Which grass needs the least water in DFW?
Bermuda, and TifTuf Bermuda in particular. Texas A&M lists drought tolerance as a primary strength of bermudagrass. St. Augustine wants the most water of the three.
Can Bermuda grow in shade?
Not well. Bermuda thins out below six hours of direct sun and dies under mature trees no matter how much you water it. Poor shade tolerance is its listed weakness.
Is Zoysia worth the extra cost?
For a front yard you look at every day, usually. It costs more per pallet and less per year: slower growth means less mowing, and a dense canopy means fewer weeds.
Sources
This guide is part of The complete guide to sod in Dallas-Fort Worth.
