Most home owners take pride in the beauty of their lawns. But few realize that in addition to looking good, turfgrass helps prevent erosion and reduces dust, glare, surface temperatures, even noise and air pollution. Dale Sato of the University of Hawaii's Urban Garden Center says creating a lush lawn starts with choosing the right kind of grass.
Most local residents choose a warm weather grass.
Burmuda grass is the most popular. It grows best in dryer parts of the state. If you live in a cooler, wetter areas centipede grass and Hilo grass work well. Seashore paspalum is popular with people who live near the ocean because it is tolerant of salty soil, and the leafy St Agustine grass is most commonly chosen for shady areas. Many new home owners are turning to the creeping wiry zoyshia grasses such as Z-3 and El Toro.