WINTER PARK · OVIEDO · WINTER SPRINGS · MAITLAND
Palisades Zoysia in Central Florida: The Drought-Tough, Low-Water Zoysia
A deep-rooted Zoysia japonica bred for drought and heat — the practical, water-thrifty zoysia that takes some shade, mows taller with a rotary, and holds a dense estate lawn on less.
★★★★★
📞 Call (407) 687-3322
Not sure Palisades is the right zoysia for your water bill and your light? We’ll tell you honestly.
Palisades is a drought-tolerant Zoysia japonica cultivar — a medium-textured, deep-rooted zoysia developed by Texas A&M and prized for low water use, good heat tolerance, and solid shade tolerance for a japonica. It holds a dense, uniform lawn while mowed taller than the fine zoysias, works with a standard rotary mower around 1.5 to 2 inches, and installs at $2.15 per square foot. It is the zoysia we reach for when a homeowner wants estate density with less water and less fuss.
“Palisades is the zoysia I put down when the priority is a tough, thirsty-times-proof lawn on a big property. It won’t give you the reel-cut fairway finish of Zeon — but it asks for far less water and you can keep it beautiful with a rotary mower.”
— Michael Geist, Yard Works · UGA-certified in warm-season turfgrass management
What Palisades Actually Is
A drought-bred Zoysia japonica. Released by Texas A&M, Palisades is a medium-bladed japonica selected for deep rooting and low water demand — the trait that matters most on a Central Florida property under watering restrictions.
Dense and forgiving underfoot. It builds a thick, uniform canopy that crowds out weeds and takes foot traffic well, while feeling softer than bermuda and needing less mowing than a fast-growing grass.
Good shade tolerance for a japonica. Palisades holds in lighter light than many full-sun grasses — a genuine edge on partly-shaded lawns — though the fine matrella Zeon still leads the zoysias in true shade.
Our Zoysia Cultivar LibraryPalisades vs. Empire vs. CitraZoy vs. Zeon
Empire is the value Zoysia japonica workhorse — medium blade, full sun, forgiving under a rotary at about 1.25 inch. The economical proven choice.
CitraZoy is our estate flagship — a certified hybrid zoysia with excellent density and the winter color retention we’ve documented first-hand, mowed around 1.0 inch. Zeon is the finest, softest matrella, reel-cut low near 0.75 inch for a true fairway look.
Palisades is the drought-and-water play — a japonica you mow taller (1.5 to 2 inch) with a rotary, that survives dry spells and partial shade better than most, and holds a dense lawn on less input. Our honest read: choose Palisades if low water use and easy rotary maintenance on a larger lawn matter most; choose CitraZoy or Zeon if you want the finest reel-cut estate finish.
Compare with CitraZoyPalisades Next to the Cultivars We Install
How Palisades compares on the traits that actually decide a Central Florida lawn.
| Trait | Palisades | Empire | CitraZoy | Zeon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Zoysia japonica | Zoysia japonica | Zoysia japonica (hybrid) | Zoysia matrella |
| Texture | Medium | Medium-coarse | Medium-fine | Very fine |
| Our mow height | ~1.5–2″ (rotary) | ~1.25″ | ~1″ | ~0.75″ (reel) |
| Water demand | Lowest — drought-bred | Low | Low-moderate | Moderate |
| Best light | Sun to part shade | Full sun | Full sun | Sun to filtered |
| Rotary-mower friendly | Yes — taller cut | Yes — forgiving | Fairly | No — wants a reel |
| Reel-cut fairway finish | Not its strength | No | Yes | Yes — the best |
| Where it shines | Low-water, larger, partly-shaded lawns | Value, open full sun | Estate front lawns | Fairway finish |
All four install at $2.15 per square foot — the cultivar step-up is small next to the site prep. The right choice is the one that matches your light, your water, your traffic, and how you want to mow.
Where Palisades Is the Right Call — and Where It Isn’t
We match the grass to the property. Palisades is the answer on the right lawn, but not every lawn.
Palisades is the right call when water use and restrictions are a real concern, you have a larger lawn where reel mowing every week isn’t practical, you have areas with lighter light that stress a full-sun grass, or you want dense zoysia quality maintained simply with a rotary mower.
Choose another cultivar when you want the finest, most manicured reel-cut finish — Zeon or CitraZoy serve you better; or when you specifically want the tighter, lower-mowed look a matrella gives.
Healthy lawns and landscapes do not exist without healthy living soil. Whatever the cultivar, we grade and prep first — a drought-hardy grass like Palisades only reaches its deep-rooting potential in soil that lets those roots go down.
Palisades Zoysia by the Numbers
The figures we work from on every Central Florida install.
~1.5–2″Our rotary mow height for Palisades
$2.15Per sq ft, premium zoysia installed
400Sq ft per pallet of zoysia sod
LowestWater demand of the zoysias we install
Palisades & Zoysia on Central Florida Lawns
Real zoysia lawns we’ve installed and maintain.
Where We Install Palisades Zoysia
Estate zoysia lawns across Central Florida’s premier communities.
Winter Park 32789OviedoWinter SpringsMaitlandCasselberryLake Mary
Ready to install? See sod installation in Oviedo, Winter Park sod installation, or Lake Mary — or view all the Central Florida areas we serve.
Palisades Zoysia Questions, Answered
Is Palisades zoysia good for a Florida lawn?
Yes — Palisades is one of the better drought-tolerant zoysias for Central Florida. As a deep-rooted Zoysia japonica, it takes the heat, uses less water than most lawn grasses, and tolerates lighter shade than a full-sun grass. It builds a dense, uniform lawn you can maintain with a standard rotary mower, which makes it a practical estate choice on larger or water-conscious properties.
How much does Palisades zoysia sod cost installed?
We install premium zoysia, including Palisades, at $2.15 per square foot installed, with a one-pallet minimum of about 400 square feet. That price includes the site prep and grading that make the lawn look right — the cultivar step-up over another zoysia is small next to the prep. For an exact number on your property, call (407) 687-3322.
What’s the difference between Palisades and Empire zoysia?
Both are Zoysia japonica, so they share the broad-bladed, rotary-friendly character. Palisades was bred specifically for drought tolerance and deep rooting, and it carries good shade tolerance — it is the pick when low water use and partial shade matter. Empire is the proven value workhorse for open full sun. On many lawns the choice comes down to your water situation and light, and we’ll advise honestly.
Does Palisades zoysia handle shade?
Palisades has solid shade tolerance for a japonica — it holds in lighter light than many full-sun lawn grasses, which is a real edge on partly-shaded lawns. That said, no zoysia is a true shade grass; the fine matrella Zeon leads the zoysias in low light. If a spot gets less than roughly four to five hours of good sun, we’ll tell you honestly before we install.
Do you have to reel-mow Palisades zoysia?
No — Palisades is meant to be mowed taller with a standard rotary mower, around 1.5 to 2 inches. That’s part of its appeal: you get dense zoysia quality without committing to a reel mower. If you want the low, reel-cut fairway finish instead, Zeon or CitraZoy are the cultivars built for it.
How often do you water new Palisades sod?
Keep new sod consistently moist for the first one to two weeks, then taper toward a deeper, less frequent schedule as roots knit in — and Palisades tapers to a lighter established schedule than most grasses thanks to its deep roots. Water in the early morning, never at night which invites fungus, and once established follow the one-third rule when mowing. We leave every client a cultivar-specific establishment schedule.
Thinking About a Palisades Lawn?
We’ll walk the property, read the light, the soil, and your water situation, and tell you whether Palisades is the right zoysia for it — or whether CitraZoy, Empire, or Zeon will serve you better for the same money.
📞 Call (407) 687-3322
