• A healthy and thick lawngrass,lawn image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  Hardy grasses for Florida can withstand drought, bright sunshine, high humidity and high temperatures. Varieties that are best suited for Central Florida lawns and are the popular choices, according to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension website, are Bahiagrass, St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass. It mentions that no one variety is better than the others. For green turf in wintertime, though, annual ryegrass is the superior choice. Turf grass requires water, mowing and an application of fertilizer to look its best.
  
  

Bahiagrass

• Bahiagrass works well for expansive areas.cup on the lawn image by Elena from Fotolia.com
  
  Two types of Bahiagrass are grown in Central Florida: Pensacola and Argentine. They are coarse turf grasses used to stabilize roadsides and also are in home landscapes. In summertime, they produce seed heads that are two to three feet tall and somewhat difficult to mow. A newly sharpened lawnmower blade is recommended. Both types are drought-tolerant and withstand Central Florida's hot, summertime growing conditions. So they are used extensively for commercial applications.
  
  

St. Augustinegrass

• Thick, flat, dark green leaves of St. Augustinegrassgreen grass lawn image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Large, flat, dark green leaves are the trademark of St. Augustinegrass. It is used widely in Central Florida yards because it forms runners, creating a thick carpet of lush grass. Growing fast, it requires weekly mowing during rainy summers. Sod farms produce square mats of this grass that can be put down on a prepared area and watered until established. Grass seed also is available, and 1 lb. is enough to seed a 1,000-square-foot area. This grass requires watering during drought.
  
  

Zoysiagrass

• Zoysiagrass performs well near beaches.Sunrise in bahia image by Torsting from Fotolia.com
  
  Zoysiagrass is usually planted using plugs or sod mats. Very dense growth is a characteristic of this grass, and it endures in high-traffic areas. It is a slow grower, requiring less mowing than the other varieties. Salt-tolerant, this grass grows very well on sandy shores close to the ocean and brackish water areas. It is the choice for golf courses, baseball fields, and lawns due to its ability to tolerate wear. If areas become bare, this grass is slow to fill the gaps but shouldn't be overused.
  
  

Annual Ryegrass

• Annual ryegrass is bright green.Green grass background image by Supertrooper from Fotolia.com
  
  Annual ryegrass is planted in November in Central Florida to fill in when the perennial grasses are in a state of dormancy. Because it is an annual, it must be seeded every year. One seed produces one grass plant. Therefore, the more seed that is used, the denser the lawn grows. Ryegrass tolerates being cut short, cool weather and shade. Its color is bright green.