Bermuda grass was once the most popular choice for home lawns in Hawai'i. The traditional common Bermuda grass was widely used until the late 1960s, when the first hybrid, Sunturf Bermuda, was introduced. Decades later, other Bermuda hybrids became more popular.

What about today? I called Danny Green, manager of Southern Turf Hawaii, to see what most current homeowners are buying. He pointed out that the specific environmental requirements of the location make a difference, but said that generally El Toro zoysia is the most popular.

There are several types of zoysia available in Hawai'i. El Toro, Z3 and emerald are the most common.

El Toro has the widest blade, very similar to centipede grass. It grows much more rapidly than the other two and can be mowed at heights from 3/4 inch with a reel mower to 1 1/2 inches with a rotary mower. Z3 and emerald should be mowed lower, at 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

Emerald zoysia will form mounds when cut above an inch and develops thick thatch much more rapidly than Z3 or El Toro. Z3 has smaller, thinner blades than El Toro and the blades of emerald are even finer, often referred to as "pokey grass."

All zoysias have good shade tolerance and very high wear tolerance, but because of their slow growth, Z3 and emerald will recover very slowly once worn down. All three zoysia varieties are normally planted as small squares of sod placed at about one-foot intervals. Full establishment can take from four to five months to more than a year, depending on the variety and planting distance.

The second most popular choice, according to Green, is seashore paspalum. Several varieties are available. The newest is Sea Isle Supreme. The most outstanding characteristics of seashore are a fast growth rate and very high salt tolerance. On the down side, it builds thatch rapidly, is not very tolerant of many commonly used herbicides and is not very shade tolerant. Seashore is best mowed under 1 inch with a reel mower. It is normally planted by spreading stolons.

St. Augustine grass comes in third on the popularity list. Its most endearing trait is very good shade tolerance, along with high salt tolerance. St Augustine is the coarsest of the warm-season grasses used here. It must be mowed above 2 1/2 inches and requires a heavy-duty rotary mower. It can build a very thick thatch layer, which will eventually make it difficult to mow. Planting is usually from rooted sprigs of sod.

Bermuda comes in a surprising fourth on the list. Common Bermuda grass can be seeded. There are many new improved seeded selections with much higher density and better color than the type used several decades ago. But these do not yet compete with the hybrids for top quality. The main advantage of these seeded types is lower cost.

Several Bermuda hybrids are available for home lawns. Tifgreen 329, Tifway 419 and Tif dwarf are among the most popular. A new introduction called Celebration has higher density and better color and is also reported to have better shade tolerance than the other Bermuda hybrids. All Bermuda hybrids must be planted by vegetative methods, usually by spreading stolons.

All Bermuda grasses, both hybrids and common seeded varieties, require a higher fertilizer program than any of the other warm-season grasses and show the least shade tolerance. Mowing is best with a reel mower at 1/2- to 3/4-inch mowing height.

Centipede grass is the other choice for Hawai'i lawns. It's normally planted from seed and will establish in two to three months. Centipede has good shade tolerance but very poor wear tolerance and requires more water than other warm-season grasses. It grows rather slowly and requires less maintenance than most of the other grasses.

For more information on these grasses and on landscaping in general, visit the college of tropical agriculture's Web site at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu. Click on "free publications" on the home page.