The short answer is yes, zoysia grass does spread by aboveground stolons called runners. Zoysia grass is a warm-season turfgrass that spreads aggressively through its thick underground rhizomes and aboveground stolons.
What are runners?
Runners are a type of aboveground stolon or lateral stem that grows horizontally along the soil surface. They are thin, leafy stems that connect the main zoysia grass plant to new daughter plants. Runners grow out from the main crown of the grass plant, producing roots and new shoots at nodes along their length. This allows zoysia grass to propagate vegetatively and spread laterally.
How do runners spread zoysia grass?
Zoysia grass spreads by runners in the following way:
- Runners emerge from the crown of existing zoysia grass plants, growing along the ground.
- The runners extend the reach of the zoysia grass plant and form new daughter plants.
- At nodes along the runners, the zoysia grass forms adventitious roots down into the soil.
- Once rooted, the nodes develop into new crowns for independent zoysia grass plants.
- The connected runner stems between parent and daughter plants transport water, nutrients and carbohydrates.
- Over a growing season, the runners continue extending and rooting down, expanding the zoysia grass coverage.
In this way, each zoysia grass plant is capable of spreading outward significantly in a single growing season via its runners. A zoysia grass lawn can quickly become very dense and thick as the runners fill in gaps.
Other ways zoysia grass spreads
In addition to spreading by aboveground runners, zoysia grass also spreads aggressively through its underground rhizome system. Rhizomes are a type of underground horizontal stem that forms a mat-like root mass.
Features of zoysia grass spreading by rhizomes include:
- The rhizomes grow outward underground from the crown of the grass plant.
- They can extend several feet out, forming a dense mat.
- Rhizomes have nodes that roots grow down from and new shoots grow up from.
- This allows new grass plants to form at a distance from the parent plant.
- Rhizomes store carbohydrates and nutrients that help zoysia establish and spread quickly.
The combination of aggressive runners and rhizomes enables zoysia grass to spread very effectively. It can invade and choke out neighboring grass and plant species in a lawn or field.
Benefits of spreading by runners
There are several benefits to the way zoysia grass spreads by runners:
- Rapid spread – Runners enable a single zoysia grass plant to expand quickly and establish a dense mat within one growing season.
- Fills in gaps – Runners help zoysia grass fill in quickly to form a continuous, thick lawn or turf.
- Repairs damage – The plant can regenerate lost coverage from surrounding runners.
- Outcompetes weeds – The aggressive growth allows zoysia grass to choke out weeds.
- Drought tolerance – Once established, the deep roots and rhizome reserves confer drought endurance.
These beneficial characteristics make zoysia grass a popular choice for lawns, sports fields, golf courses and grasslands in warm climates. The runners give it versatility and resilience.
Disadvantages of spreading by runners
Some disadvantages of zoysia grass spreading by runners include:
- Invasive growth – Zoysia grass can encroach into garden beds, flower borders and driveways.
- Outcompetes other plants – The aggressive runners may choke out existing turfgrass and ornamental plants.
- Management required – Property owners must continually prune and edge zoysia grass to keep it contained.
- Thatch buildup – Dense mats of zoysia increase thatch, requiring dethatching.
- Mowing frequency – The quick growth necessitates frequent mowing to keep zoysia grass neatly manicured.
These downsides require maintenance actions to prevent zoysia grass from spreading out of bounds. Property owners should be prepared to actively manage zoysia grass growth.
Cultivars that spread by runners
Most zoysia grass cultivars will spread through runners to some degree. Some examples of runner-spreading zoysia cultivars include:
| Cultivar | Rate of Spread |
|---|---|
| Meyer zoysia | Moderate rate of spread |
| Emerald zoysia | Rapid rate of spread |
| Zeon zoysia | Aggressive rate of spread |
| Compadre zoysia | Moderate to fast rate of spread |
| Cavalier zoysia | Slow rate of spread |
Runners enable most zoysia cultivars to spread well. However, there is variation among cultivars in terms of speed and density of growth. Property owners should research spreading rate before selecting a particular zoysia cultivar.
Growth rate of runners
The growth rate for zoysia grass runners can vary based on cultivar and environment. Some general growth rates per season include:
- Slow spreading cultivars: up to 0.5 feet
- Moderately spreading cultivars: 0.5-1 feet
- Aggressive spreading cultivars: 1-3 feet
Under optimal growing conditions, some zoysia cultivars can spread their runners several feet per year. Favorable factors like warm climate, ample sunlight and water, and good soil fertility enable faster zoysia runner growth.
How to slow down zoysia grass runners
Homeowners wanting to restrain the spread of zoysia grass runners have several options:
- Select slow spreading cultivars like Cavalier or Zorro zoysia
- Mow frequently to prune back growth
- Apply growth regulators in spring
- Use physical barriers like edges between lawns and borders
- Remove excess thatch buildup to reduce growth
- Reduce irrigation and fertilization to slow growth
Employing these cultural practices can help property owners manage zoysia grass runner spread. However, it is difficult to stop zoysia’s lateral expansion entirely once established.
Conclusion
Zoysia grass is a popular warm-season turfgrass known for its ability to spread rapidly through aboveground stolons called runners. Runners enable individual zoysia plants to expand outward vegetatively at a quick rate. This aggressive growth trait allows zoysia grass to form a thick, durable lawn or turf cover. However, property owners must actively manage zoysia growth through frequent mowing, edging and pruning to prevent encroachment.
Overall, the spreading ability of zoysia runners provides benefits like rapid filling in of turf coverage, competitiveness against weeds, and recovery from damage. But zoysia’s invasiveness also requires vigilance and maintenance. Homeowners should research growth rates and be prepared to manage zoysia grass runner growth through proper care and containment practices.
