Buffalo Grass Types: Sir Walter, Palmetto & More Compared

The most popular buffalo grass types are Sir Walter, Sapphire, Palmetto, Prestige, and Matilda, each bred for different levels of shade tolerance, drought resistance, and maintenance needs. Sir Walter is the most widely planted variety due to its all-round performance, while Sapphire leads for shade tolerance and Palmetto offers a softer feel underfoot. Choosing the right variety depends on your climate, sun exposure, foot traffic, and how much maintenance you’re willing to do.

What is buffalo grass?

Buffalo grass refers to Stenotaphrum secundatum, a warm-season grass known for its broad, soft leaves, shade tolerance, and low maintenance requirements. It’s the most popular lawn grass in Australia and is widely grown in the southern United States, where it’s called St. Augustine grass. Important naming note: In North America, “buffalograss” (one word) sometimes refers to Bouteloua dactyloides, a completely different native prairie grass. This article covers the soft-leaf buffalo varieties (Stenotaphrum secundatum) used for residential lawns, the same species Americans know as St. Augustine. According to the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program, St. Augustine/buffalo grass is one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses available, making it ideal for yards with trees or buildings that block direct sunlight. For a full growing and care guide, see our complete buffalo grass guide.

Buffalo grass types compared: which variety is best?

Sir Walter DNA Certified is the best all-rounder for most lawns, but other varieties outperform it in specific conditions. Here’s how the major buffalo grass types compare across the characteristics that matter most:

Variety	Shade Tolerance	Drought Tolerance	Wear Tolerance	Mowing Height	Winter Color	Best For
Sir Walter DNA Certified	Good (up to 50% shade)	Excellent	Excellent	25–50mm (1–2 in)	Good	All-round family lawns
Sapphire	Excellent (up to 70% shade)	Good	Moderate	30–50mm (1.2–2 in)	Good	Shady yards, under trees
Palmetto	Good (up to 50% shade)	Good	Good	30–60mm (1.2–2.4 in)	Excellent	Cold climates, soft texture
Prestige	Good (up to 50% shade)	Excellent	Good	20–40mm (0.8–1.6 in)	Good	Formal lawns, fine texture
Matilda	Moderate (up to 40% shade)	Moderate	Good	30–50mm (1.2–2 in)	Moderate	Budget-friendly option
Shademaster	Excellent (up to 70% shade)	Good	Moderate	30–50mm (1.2–2 in)	Good	Heavy shade areas

Sir Walter buffalo grass

Sir Walter DNA Certified is the most widely sold buffalo grass variety, and for good reason, it performs well in almost every condition. It handles full sun and up to 50% shade, recovers quickly from foot traffic and pet damage, and has strong drought tolerance once established. Sir Walter’s key advantage is its self-repair rate. When damaged by kids, dogs, or heavy use, it sends out runners that fill in bare patches faster than most other buffalo varieties. This makes it the top choice for family lawns with active outdoor use. Maintenance profile:

• Mow every 7–10 days during the growing season
• Mowing height: 25–50mm (1–2 inches)
• Water: 25mm (1 inch) per week in summer
• Fertilise: 3–4 times per year with a slow-release lawn fertiliser
• Thatch management: dethatch every 2–3 years

Downsides: Sir Walter can develop thatch buildup if mowed too infrequently. It also goes semi-dormant in winter in cooler climates, losing some green color (though less than couch grass).

Sapphire buffalo grass

Sapphire is the standout choice for shady lawns. It tolerates up to 70% shade, meaning it can thrive in areas that only get 3–4 hours of direct sunlight per day. If your yard has large trees, fences, or multi-story buildings casting shadows, Sapphire is likely your best option. Sapphire has a finer leaf blade than Sir Walter, giving it a softer feel and a more manicured appearance. Its deep blue-green color is distinctive and holds well through the seasons. Maintenance profile:

• Mow every 10–14 days (slower growth rate than Sir Walter)
• Mowing height: 30–50mm (1.2–2 inches)
• Water: 20–25mm (0.8–1 inch) per week in summer
• Fertilise: 2–3 times per year

Downsides: Sapphire doesn’t handle heavy foot traffic as well as Sir Walter. It’s better suited for front yards, garden borders, or areas with moderate use rather than backyards where kids play daily.

Palmetto buffalo grass

Palmetto offers the softest leaf texture of any buffalo variety and retains its green color longer into winter than its competitors. Originally bred in the United States (where it’s sold as Palmetto St. Augustine), it’s become popular worldwide for its cold tolerance and lush appearance. According to University of Florida IFAS Extension research, Palmetto St. Augustine demonstrates strong cold hardiness compared to other St. Augustine cultivars, maintaining color in temperatures that cause other varieties to go dormant. Maintenance profile:

• Mow every 7–14 days during the growing season
• Mowing height: 30–60mm (1.2–2.4 inches), tolerates being kept slightly longer
• Water: 25–30mm (1–1.2 inches) per week in summer
• Fertilise: 3–4 times per year

Downsides: Palmetto is more susceptible to chinch bug damage than some other varieties. It also requires slightly more water than Sir Walter or Sapphire in hot climates.

Prestige buffalo grass

Prestige is the premium choice for homeowners who want a fine-textured, formal-looking lawn. It has the narrowest leaf blade of the major buffalo varieties, giving it an appearance closer to a manicured couch (Bermuda) grass lawn while retaining buffalo’s shade tolerance and low maintenance. Prestige can be mowed lower than other buffalo types, down to 20mm (0.8 inches), which creates a denser, more carpet-like finish. This makes it popular for front yards where appearance is the top priority. Maintenance profile:

• Mow every 7–10 days during the growing season
• Mowing height: 20–40mm (0.8–1.6 inches)
• Water: 25mm (1 inch) per week in summer
• Fertilise: 3–4 times per year

Downsides: Prestige is typically more expensive to purchase than Sir Walter or Palmetto. Its finer texture also means it’s slightly less forgiving of inconsistent mowing, skip two weeks and it can look unkempt quickly.

Matilda buffalo grass

Matilda is the budget-friendly buffalo option. It offers solid performance at a lower price point than premium varieties like Sir Walter or Prestige, making it a practical choice for large areas where cost is a factor. Matilda has a broader leaf than newer varieties and moderate shade tolerance (up to 40% shade). It performs best in full sun to light shade conditions and handles general residential foot traffic well. Maintenance profile:

• Mow every 7–14 days during the growing season
• Mowing height: 30–50mm (1.2–2 inches)
• Water: 25mm (1 inch) per week in summer
• Fertilise: 2–3 times per year

Downsides: Matilda’s shade tolerance is lower than Sir Walter, Sapphire, or Palmetto. It also tends to lose color earlier in autumn and green up later in spring compared to newer cultivars.

How to choose the right buffalo grass type

The best buffalo grass type for your lawn depends on four main factors. Use this decision framework to narrow down your choice:

1. Assess your shade levels. If your lawn gets less than 4 hours of direct sun per day, choose Sapphire or Shademaster. If it gets 4–6 hours, any variety works. Full sun? Sir Walter or Prestige.
2. Consider your foot traffic. Backyards with kids and dogs need Sir Walter (best recovery from wear). Low-traffic front yards can use Sapphire, Palmetto, or Prestige.
3. Check your climate. In areas with cold winters, Palmetto holds its green color longest. In hot, dry climates, Sir Walter and Prestige have the strongest drought tolerance.
4. Set your budget. For large areas on a budget, Matilda costs 20–30% less per square meter than premium varieties. For smaller feature lawns, investing in Prestige or Sir Walter pays off in appearance and longevity.

Your Situation	Best Buffalo Grass Type	Why
Family backyard, full sun	Sir Walter	Best wear recovery, excellent drought tolerance
Shady yard (under trees)	Sapphire or Shademaster	Up to 70% shade tolerance
Cold climate, want year-round green	Palmetto	Best winter color retention of all buffalo types
Formal front lawn, low traffic	Prestige	Finest texture, can mow very low for carpet-like finish
Large area, budget-conscious	Matilda	20–30% cheaper than premium varieties

Can you grow buffalo grass from seed?

Most improved buffalo grass varieties (Sir Walter, Sapphire, Palmetto, Prestige) cannot be grown from seed, they’re only available as turf rolls or plugs. These varieties are proprietary cultivars that are vegetatively propagated to maintain their specific characteristics. Common (non-branded) buffalo/St. Augustine grass seed is available, but it produces a grass with broader leaves, less shade tolerance, and slower establishment than the named varieties. If you want the specific traits of Sir Walter or Sapphire, you need to buy turf. The exception is the native American buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides), which is widely available as seed. But this is a completely different grass species, fine-bladed, drought-tolerant, and suited to the Great Plains region rather than the warm, humid climates where St. Augustine/buffalo thrives.

Does buffalo grass go brown in winter?

All buffalo grass types go semi-dormant in winter when temperatures consistently drop below 10°C (50°F), but the degree of browning varies significantly by variety. Palmetto retains its green color longest, typically staying green 2–4 weeks longer than Sir Walter in autumn and greening up 2–4 weeks earlier in spring. In mild climates (USDA zones 9–11) where winter temperatures rarely drop below 5°C (41°F), buffalo grass may stay green year-round. In cooler areas, expect some color loss from late autumn through early spring regardless of variety. To minimize winter browning:

• Apply a potassium-rich fertiliser in late autumn (potassium strengthens cold tolerance)
• Raise mowing height by 10–15mm in the last month of the growing season
• Reduce watering gradually as growth slows, don’t stop abruptly

Buffalo grass suits some climates far better than others. If you are choosing turf from scratch, the best grass type for every US state table shows which species hold up in your state, with USDA zones alongside.

Frequently Asked Questions