Common Centipede cut fresh from a Louisiana sod farm and delivered to your address. The low-maintenance pick for rural acreage and acidic Louisiana soil.
| Botanical name | Eremochloa ophiuroides |
| Cultivars we supply | Common Centipede and TifBlair Centipede (cold-tolerant for north LA) |
| USDA Zones | 7 through 10 |
| Sun requirement | Full to partial sun (6+ hours minimum) |
| Soil preference | Acidic sandy loam (pH 4.5 to 6.0) |
| Mow height | 1 to 2 inches |
| Watering once rooted | 0.5 inch per week (lowest in catalog except Bahia) |
| Pallet coverage | Approximately 450 square feet |
| Best install windows | April-June |
| Establishment time | 4 to 6 weeks (slow grower) |
| Pricing tier | Low to middle |
Best for: Rural acreage across south and central LA on acidic sandy soil
The lowest-maintenance warm-season grass in our catalog. Few mowings, low fertilizer, low water. Grown by Kelly Sod Farms (Slaughter, Centipede specialist) and Cloverleaf Farms (Denham Springs).
Best for: North LA acreage where harder winter freezes hit
UGA 1997 release. Cold-tolerant cultivar that extends Centipede's range to USDA Zone 6. Better winter recovery than Common Centipede in Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Lincoln parishes.
Centipede (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is a warm-season grass native to South China and Southeast Asia, introduced to the United States in the early 1900s. It earned a nickname over the decades: "the lazy man's grass." Slow grower, low input, low water demand, low fertilizer demand. The LSU AgCenter turfgrass guide recommends Centipede for low-maintenance Louisiana yards on acidic sandy soil.
Louisiana sits in USDA Zones 8b and 9a with large stretches of acidic sandy soil across the Florida Parishes, Central Louisiana, and the Northshore rural fringe. Centipede thrives where St. Augustine and Zoysia struggle: acidic pH, low fertility, big lots that nobody wants to mow weekly.
You will find Centipede on rural acreage across Tangipahoa, St. Helena, Washington, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, the Vernon Parish piney woods, and the larger St. Tammany fringe properties. It is also the default pick for hunting camps, rural ranchettes, and second-home properties where the owner does not want a yard that demands attention.
Most Louisiana Centipede sod is grown as Common Centipede. TifBlair (improved cold tolerance) is available by special order on volume jobs.
Skip Centipede if you have alkaline silty clay loam (Metairie, Westbank, most of Jefferson Parish), heavy foot traffic (Zoysia wins), deep green country club look (Zoysia or St. Augustine), or you cannot resist fertilizing (Centipede decline kills more Louisiana lawns than any disease).
Weaker fit: Greater New Orleans and Westbank (alkaline silty clay loam). Coastal Cameron and Plaquemines (salt spray). Dense urban subdivisions (traffic and small yards favor St. Augustine or Zoysia).
Call (985) 206-8585 or send your zip code, square footage, and a photo of your yard or soil. We will tell you straight if Centipede fits your soil before you commit.
We confirm pricing and a delivery window inside an hour. Most Centipede in our network comes from Florida Parishes and Central Louisiana growers.
Fresh pallets arrive the morning you scheduled. Cut from the farm that day.
Centipede is the easiest sod we supply to maintain, but only if you respect its hate for over-watering and over-fertilization.
Over-fertilization kills more Louisiana Centipede lawns than any disease. Respect this.
| Trait | Centipede | St. Augustine | Zoysia | Bermuda |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mow frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly in summer | Weekly | 2x weekly in summer |
| Foot traffic | Low | Low to medium | High | Very High |
| Soil preference | Acidic sandy | Tolerates most | Tolerates most | Tolerates most |
| Cost tier | Low to middle | Middle | High | Middle |
| Watering demand | Lowest (with Bahia) | Higher | Lower than St. Aug | Lower |
| Fertilizer demand | Lowest | Medium | Medium | Highest |
| Color | Yellow-green | Deep green | Deep green | Deep green |
Centipede (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is the low-maintenance pick for Louisiana rural acreage on acidic sandy soil. Performs best across the Florida Parishes rural sections, Central Louisiana piney woods, and Northshore rural fringe.
Four to six weeks with proper watering. Slower than St. Augustine or Bermuda.
Low-to-middle pricing tier. Typically less expensive than St. Augustine or Zoysia. Call for an exact quote.
Pale yellow-green is the natural color of Centipede. It is not a fertilizer deficiency. Most Louisiana Centipede lawns are killed by over-fertilization (Centipede decline) when owners try to push the color toward St. Augustine green. A single light spring feeding is enough.
Honestly, no. Centipede prefers acidic sandy soil with pH 4.5 to 6.0. The silty clay loam across Jefferson Parish and the Westbank runs more alkaline. St. Augustine is the better pick.
Centipede has a lighter yellow-green color, slower growth, lower water and fertilizer demand, and prefers acidic sandy soil. St. Augustine has a deeper green color, faster growth, and tolerates a wider range of soils.
Yes. Contractor and builder pricing on five or more pallets. Common use is large rural acreage installs, hunting camp lawns, and budget-conscious multi-lot developments.
Common Centipede cut fresh from a Louisiana sod farm. The low-maintenance pick for rural acreage.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7 AM to 6 PM · Statewide delivery · Contractor pricing on volume