Kikuyu Lawn

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A vigorous growing lawn that can withstand high levels of traffic. Grows well on any well-drained fertile soil and holds its colour well throughout the year.

This lawn has a high cold and frost tolerance unless it is heavy frost.

Kikuyu is not suited for small areas as the runners become invasive to nearby gardens. It is not shade tolerant, requiring at least 6 hours of sunlight. During the warm seasons, Kikuyu requires regular mowing, once a week.

Because Kikuyu is easy to grow, it's a popular choice for large areas such as parks and ovals.

Product Information


Texture:	Medium to coarse.
Description:	A rhizomatous and stoloniferous prostrate species which forms a dense mat. Stolons are multi-branched with short internodes. Rooting occurs at the nodes. Leaf-blades 1.25 - 5 cm long, 3-4 mm wide, folded at first, then flattening. The leaf sheaths are yellow to green. Flowers are rare and appear on leafy, vegetative side shoots with only the stamens visible above the leaf sheaths.
Use:	Lawns, parks, cemeteries, golf course fairways, playing fields, airstrips, racecourses, and erosion control.
Mowing height:	Requires frequent mowing to maintain a tight sward. Scalps easily. Mow every 7-10 days in summer and less frequently in winter as the growth rate slows. Mow at 30 - 40 mm. Lower cutting heights require more frequent maintenance.
Method of propagation:	Vegetative - rolls, sprigs.
Preferred soil types:	Thrives on high fertility, well-drained soils. pH 6.5 is preferred but will tolerate acidic soils to pH 4.5. Not suited to heavy clays.
Comments:	Has a high nitrogen requirement and needs phosphorous levels at or above 15 ppm. High thatching tendency. Dethatch in late spring. Needs intensive management for high-quality lawns or fairways. If poorly managed, the surface can interfere with the ball roll on golf fairways. It can tolerate some waterlogging and inundation. It can be an invasive weed. Once established can be difficult to eradicate. Encroaches into adjacent areas such as garden beds and golf course bunkers.
Heat:	Poor tolerance to extreme heat.
Cold:	Growth declines below 7°C. Exposed foliage damaged by frosts at -2°C. But the plant will survive temperatures to -9°C. Good colour retention in winter.
Shade:	Tolerates partial shade. Does not grow well in deep shade.
Drought:	Prefers areas with reliable root zone moisture. Relatively poor drought tolerance is mitigated by the capacity to form a deep root system in suitable soils.