The living science beneath every property.

Warm-season turfgrass

Bermudagrass

Cynodon dactylon & hybrids

The workhorse of southern fairways, tees and sports fields: aggressive, wear-tolerant and fast to recover, spreading by both stolons and rhizomes.

Warm-season turfgrass

Zoysiagrass

Zoysia japonica / matrella

A dense, slow-growing carpet with excellent wear and moderate shade tolerance — prized on fairways, tees and upscale landscapes.

Warm-season turfgrass

Seashore Paspalum

Paspalum vaginatum

The salt specialist: tolerates recycled and brackish water better than almost any turfgrass, with a fine, dark-green finish.

Warm-season turfgrass

St. Augustinegrass

Stenotaphrum secundatum

Coarse, broad-bladed and the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass — a staple of Gulf and Florida landscapes.

Warm-season turfgrass

Kikuyugrass

Pennisetum clandestinum

Vigorous and tough — common on California and Australian fairways — with fast recovery but a tendency to invade and form thatch.

Warm-season native turfgrass

Buffalograss

Bouteloua dactyloides

A native Great Plains prairie grass that thrives with minimal water, fertilizer and mowing.

Cool-season turfgrass

Creeping Bentgrass

Agrostis stolonifera

The premier putting-green grass: tolerates extremely low mowing and produces a true, fast roll — but is demanding in summer heat.

Cool-season turfgrass

Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)

Poa annua

Found on many greens, intentionally or not; it puts a beautiful surface but is shallow-rooted and fragile in heat.

Cool-season turfgrass

Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa pratensis

A dense, self-repairing grass that spreads by rhizomes — the classic northern lawn, park and sports-field turf.

Cool-season turfgrass

Perennial Ryegrass

Lolium perenne

Germinates in days and handles traffic well — used alone up north and for overseeding dormant bermuda in winter.

Cool-season turfgrass

Tall Fescue

Festuca arundinacea

Deep-rooted and heat-tolerant for a cool-season grass — the go-to for the transition zone and low-maintenance turf.

Cool-season turfgrass

Fine Fescue

Festuca rubra & spp.

Fine-textured, shade- and drought-tolerant grasses used in links-style roughs and low-input lawns.

Soil texture class

Sand

Coarse particles (0.05–2 mm) that drain fast and resist compaction — the basis of USGA greens and modern sports fields.

Soil texture class

Loamy Sand

Mostly sand with a little silt and clay: drains well but holds slightly more water and nutrients than pure sand.

Soil texture class

Sandy Loam

A balanced, easily worked soil that drains well while holding useful water — ideal for many landscapes and crops.

Soil texture class

Loam

The gardener's ideal: a balanced mix of sand, silt and clay with good structure, fertility and water holding.

Soil texture class

Silt Loam

Smooth, fertile soil high in silt — productive but prone to crusting and compaction.

Soil texture class

Clay Loam

Heavier, fertile soil that holds plenty of water and nutrients but drains slowly and compacts under traffic.

Soil texture class

Clay

Fine particles under 0.002 mm that hold large amounts of water and nutrients but drain poorly and shrink-swell.

Soil condition

Saline & Sodic Soils

Soils with excess soluble salts (saline) or sodium (sodic) that limit water uptake and destroy structure.

Soil condition

Organic & Peat Soils

Soils high in organic matter that hold very large amounts of water but can subside and become water-repellent when dried.

Soil condition

Compacted Soils

Soils pressed by traffic or equipment, losing pore space so water, air and roots cannot move freely.

Evergreen native oak

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

California's iconic evergreen oak — long-lived and drought-adapted, but easily killed by summer irrigation near its trunk.

Evergreen oak

Southern Live Oak

Quercus virginiana

The broad, sprawling shade tree of the American South, prized on historic estates and golf courses.

Palm

Date Palm (Medjool)

Phoenix dactylifera

A high-value specimen palm for resorts and entries, also grown for fruit; transplanting and establishment are critical.

Palm

Canary Island Date Palm

Phoenix canariensis

A massive, formal palm and centerpiece of resort landscapes; specimen trees can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Evergreen conifer

Coast Redwood

Sequoia sempervirens

The world's tallest tree, widely planted as a landscape specimen far drier than its fog-belt home.

Deciduous ornamental tree

Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum

A refined specimen for entries and gardens, with mature trees often valued in the thousands of dollars.

Evergreen flowering tree

Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

A stately evergreen with huge fragrant blooms, used as a signature tree on campuses and estates.

Deciduous shade tree

Sycamore / London Plane

Platanus spp.

Fast-growing, tough street and park trees with mottled bark, common on campuses and municipal streets.

Evergreen fruit/ornamental tree

Olive (Specimen)

Olea europaea

Gnarled heritage olives are among the most expensive landscape specimens; fruitless forms are common in landscapes.

Deciduous ancient tree

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

A living fossil with golden fall color, extremely pollution- and pest-resistant — a campus favorite.

Evergreen hedge shrub

Boxwood

Buxus spp.

The classic formal hedge — slow-growing, so losses are costly and hard to replace with matching size.

Evergreen flowering shrub

Camellia

Camellia japonica / sasanqua

Glossy evergreen shrubs with winter blooms; mature plants are prized and slow to replace.

Flowering shrub

Azalea & Rhododendron

Rhododendron spp.

Spectacular spring color on shallow, fine roots that are very sensitive to both drought and saturation.

Flowering shrub

Hydrangea

Hydrangea spp.

Large-flowered shrubs whose name means 'water vessel' — high water demand and fast wilting in heat.

Flowering shrub

Roses

Rosa spp.

Signature color for entries and gardens; consistent deep watering and dry foliage limit disease.

Evergreen hedge/screen

Podocarpus (Yew Pine)

Podocarpus macrophyllus

A tidy, tall privacy screen for warm climates, used widely around resorts and commercial properties.

Flowering vine/shrub

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea spp.

Vivid color that blooms best when kept on the dry side; overwatering is its main enemy.

Evergreen shrub

Pittosporum

Pittosporum spp.

Versatile evergreen screens and specimen shrubs common in coastal and Mediterranean landscapes.