Blade & Mow Height
Blade: Medium blade, 3 to 5 mm
Mow: 1 to 2.5 inches
Empire is the most-supplied Zoysia across Louisiana. Heat tolerant, humidity tolerant, holds up to family traffic. The standard pick for newer subdivisions from Hammond to Lafayette to Lake Charles.
Empire Zoysia is a Zoysia japonica cultivar discovered in Brazil and introduced commercially by Sod Solutions in 1996. It was bred for heat and humidity tolerance, which is exactly what Louisiana hands out 8 months a year.
Best fit: newer family subdivisions across south and central Louisiana where homeowners want a yard kids and dogs can use, with a finer blade than St. Augustine and better drought tolerance. Empire dominates the Hammond growth corridor, the Lafayette suburbs, the Northshore, and the Capital Region.
Where Empire does not fit: deep dense oak shade (Trinity LS or Geo handle that better), or heavy alkaline coastal clay where St. Augustine outperforms. Empire is the right pick for mixed-sun family yards on well-drained soil.
Quick-reference card. Blade, mow height, sun, shade, drought, traffic, salt, pH, and USDA zone.
Blade: Medium blade, 3 to 5 mm
Mow: 1 to 2.5 inches
Sun: 6+ hours of direct sun
Shade: Moderate shade tolerance
Drought: Excellent
Traffic: High, holds up to kids and dogs
Zones 6-10
Good
5.8 to 7.0
Empire is the dominant Zoysia from Hammond to Lafayette, the Northshore to the Capital Region. The well-drained sandy loam of Tangipahoa Parish (Louisiana sod country) supports it especially well, and most family-grade subdivisions across south and central Louisiana spec Empire by default. The Cajun heat and humidity that breaks lesser Zoysias is exactly the conditions Empire was bred for.
Common in: Newer subdivisions in Hammond, Ponchatoula, Slidell, Mandeville, Denham Springs, Walker, Watson, Prairieville, Gonzales, Dutchtown, South Lake Charles, Sulphur, Bayou Cane (Houma), Schriever side
The LSU AgCenter turfgrass guide backs the regional fit data above. Send us your zip and we will tell you straight whether Empire fits your specific yard.
A standard pallet covers approximately 450 square feet, cut as 16x24 inch slabs (typical, varies slightly by farm). Most yards in Louisiana run 1 to 4 pallets.
Half pallets available for small repairs and patch jobs (approximately 225 square feet). Minimum order applies for delivery, not pickup.
Contractor and builder pricing kicks in at five or more pallets per order. NET 30 terms for qualified accounts. Recurring delivery scheduling for ongoing jobs.
Two side-by-side reads so you can pick straight, not guess.
Empire and Palisades are both Z. japonica with similar blade and mowing height. Palisades has slightly better salt tolerance for coastal LA. Empire has slightly better humidity tolerance and broader supply. Either works for newer family subdivisions across Louisiana.
Empire is the standard family-yard Zoysia. Geo (Z. matrella x japonica hybrid) is the premium upgrade with finer blade and better shade tolerance. Geo costs more per pallet. Pick Empire for the proven default. Pick Geo for premium installs that want the finer texture.
Empire is competitively priced because it is the highest-volume Zoysia across Louisiana farms. Typically costs more than Floratam St. Augustine but less than Geo or Zeon. Contractor pricing kicks in at five or more pallets. Call for current pricing.
Yes. Empire was bred for traffic tolerance and is the dominant Zoysia spec for family yards across Louisiana. Holds up better than St. Augustine in high-use areas. The dense growth recovers quickly from wear.
Empire tolerates moderate shade (4-6 hours of direct sun) but is not a deep-shade variety. For yards with less than 4 hours of sun under mature oaks, Geo Zoysia or Trinity LS Zoysia handle deep shade better. Or Palmetto St. Augustine.
Spring (March-May) and early fall (September-October) are the best windows for fastest rooting. Summer installs work but require more diligent watering. Avoid winter installs (December-February) because dormant Zoysia roots slowly and is vulnerable to cold damage.
Fresh Empire sod cut from our family of Louisiana sod farms and delivered direct to your driveway. Same-week delivery. Contractor pricing on volume.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 AM to 6 PM · Statewide delivery · Contractor pricing on volume