Warm-season grass · grows from sod, sprigs or seed

Kikuyu Grass

Cenchrus clandestinus

Season

Warm-season

Mow at

1–2 in

Sun

Sun to light shade

Grows from

Sod, sprigs or seed

A federal noxious weed in the United States

Kikuyu grass is on the USDA Federal Noxious Weed List, so moving it into the US or across state lines requires a federal permit. California also lists it as a noxious weed. If you live in the US, check with your state department of agriculture before planting or moving any kikuyu seed, turf or runners.

How to identify Kikuyu Grass

Also calledKikuyuKikuyugrass

Kikuyu makes a thick, light green lawn on a dense mat of creeping stems. It grows fast in warm weather, creeps over edges and recovers quickly from wear. On cool, humid mornings you may see fine white threads above the grass. These are the stamens of its flowers, which otherwise stay hidden inside the leaf sheaths.

Hidden flowers: The flower heads stay tucked inside the leaf sheaths. Only long, white, thread-like stamens poke out, and they are easiest to see on cool, humid mornings.
Runners: Thick, flattened above-ground runners with many swollen joints, plus thick white underground rhizomes. The runners root wherever a joint touches soil.
Blade: Light green, flat blades about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. They can be smooth or hairy.
Ligule: A fringe of fine hairs of uneven length sits where the blade meets the stem.
Growth habit: A dense, tough mat of interwoven stems that spreads outward in every direction from where it starts.
Frost response: The leaves brown off after frost, but the runners survive and regrow when warm weather returns.

Photo: Harry Rose, Macleay Grass Man · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

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How to fix bare patches in Kikuyu Grass

1Work in warm weather, when kikuyu is growing fast. Small bare spots often fill in on their own from the runners around them.
2Loosen the bare soil and clear out dead grass so runners can root into it.
3Speed things up by planting cut runners. Use pieces with at least three joints, and bury two of the joints with one left above the soil.
4For large patches, lay turf that matches your lawn, or sow seed once the soil reaches about 68°F (20°C).
5Keep the patch moist until the new growth roots, then water deeply and less often.
6If the dead patch had yellow leaves and poor, dying roots, suspect kikuyu yellows, a root disease spread through wet soil by water-borne spores. No fungicide controls it well, so have it confirmed by a local turf adviser before you replant.

Working out how much seed to buy? The grass seed calculator does the math for your square footage.

When to plant or repair Kikuyu Grass

Best Workable

Best time: May–July. Also workable: April, August.

Grows from: Sod, sprigs or seed
Soil temperature: 68°F (20°C) and rising for seed

Kikuyu can be laid as turf, planted as runners or sown from seed. Whittet is the main seeded variety, while Village Green is supplied as turf.

In Australia or New Zealand? The seasons flip — shift these months by six, or see the Southern Hemisphere lawn calendar.

Kikuyu Grass care at a glance

Mowing height: 1–2 in
Water: 1 inch per week during growing season
Sun: Full sun to light shade (6+ hours ideal)
Soil pH: 5.5–7.0
Fertilizer: 3 lb nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year
Growth habit: Stolons and rhizomes
Texture: Coarse
USDA zones: 9-11

How it holds up

Foot trafficVery high

DroughtModerate

ShadeModerate

UpkeepHigh

Mowing height by season

Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
1"–1.5"	1"–1.5"	1.5"–2"	Dormant

Varieties you'll see

Village GreenWhittetNoonan

Want these turned into a month-by-month schedule for your yard? Build a free lawn plan.

Kikuyu Grass pros and cons

Strengths

Recovers quickly from wear and injury
Spreads fast to fill bare patches
Recovers from drought and tolerates acidic and slightly salty soil
Survives frosts that kill its leaves
Can be laid as turf, planted from runners or grown from seed

Weaknesses

Invades garden beds, paths and neighboring lawns
Does not grow well in heavy shade
Browns off after frost
Hard to get rid of, because runner pieces regrow and seed can stay alive in soil for years
Needs regular mowing and edging in summer
A federal noxious weed in the US

Problems to watch for

Kikuyu yellowsRunners creeping into beds and pathsThinning in heavy shadeFrost browningPieces spread on mowers and tools

Where Kikuyu Grass grows best

Kikuyu comes from the highlands of East Africa and is widely grown as a lawn in Australia, and it is common in Northland and other warm coastal parts of New Zealand's upper North Island. In the US it has escaped into the wild along the California coast and in Hawaii, and it is a federal noxious weed. The planting months on this page follow the US calendar, so flip them if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, where spring is September to November. Local turf suppliers can tell you the best laying or sowing time for your area.

Commonly confused with

Couch (Bermuda grass) →

Couch has much finer blades, under 1/8 inch wide, and a seedhead of 3 to 5 thin spikes joined at the top of the stem. Kikuyu's flower heads stay hidden in the leaf sheaths, with only white threads showing.

Buffalo (St. Augustine grass) →

Buffalo has broad blades with blunt tips and spreads only by above-ground runners. Kikuyu blades are usually narrower, and it also spreads by underground rhizomes.

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Kikuyu Grass FAQ

How do I stop kikuyu spreading into garden beds?

Keep a firm edge between lawn and bed, and trim along it often while the grass is growing. Kikuyu spreads by runners on top of the soil and rhizomes below it, and the runners root at every joint that touches soil. Pull out strays with every piece of stem, because pieces left behind can regrow. A deep, solid edging strip slows it down.

Is kikuyu grass illegal in the US?

At the federal level it is restricted rather than banned outright. Kikuyu is a federal noxious weed, so you need a federal permit to bring it into the US or move it between states. California also lists it as a noxious weed, and planting rules vary by state, so check with your state department of agriculture before you plant or share any kikuyu.

Does kikuyu grow in shade?

Only in light to moderate shade. Kikuyu handles some shade, but it does not grow well in heavy shade, so lawns under dense trees or beside tall fences and houses go thin and patchy. For those spots, a more shade-tolerant grass such as buffalo (St. Augustine) is usually a better fit.

Why is my kikuyu lawn turning yellow?

Frost, hunger or disease are the common causes. Frost browns the leaves in winter, and underfed kikuyu turns pale. Patches that yellow in the warm months and have poor, dying roots may be kikuyu yellows, a root disease caused by a soil-borne, fungus-like organism. Dig up a small piece and check the roots before you treat anything.

Will kikuyu grow back after frost?

Yes, usually. Frost kills the exposed leaves at around 28°F (-2°C), but established kikuyu survives colder snaps, down to about 16°F (-9°C), and regrows from its runners when warm weather returns. Expect a brown lawn after frosty nights until spring.