Grasses

Since 1993, Team UGA® and the turgrass breeding program at the University of Georiga has developed and released four exemplary seashore paspalum turfgrass cultivars that have become the standard for salt tolerant and environmentally sustainable grass varieties. The grasses remain among the most widely utilized seashore paspalum cultivars in the world.
Prior to release, each grass undergoes years of rigorous testing at the University and through the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, (NTEP), as well as in real-world trials. Out of thousands of accessions, only the finest cultivars are selected for their significant, beneficial traits and esthetics. Grasses released by Team UGA and currently available are: SeaBreeze™, SeaStar®, SeaIsle Supreme™, and SeaIsle 2000™.

Seabreeze Seashore Paspalum

SeaBreeze™ : tee-to-green/sports turfgrass with improved drought and shade tolerance

A vigorous vegetative seashore paspalum, SeaBreeze was developed through 16 years of research by University of Georgia breeders. It produces an excellent quality dense turf unsurpassed in color over a wide range of mowing heights. SeaBreeze is ideal for use on golf courses, athletic fields, home lawns, and other recreational venues as a fine turf. The superior drought tolerance of SeaBreeze was first recognized in evaluations across five southern states through a USDA Specialty Crops Research Grant to develop drought and salt tolerant warm-season grasses. SeaBreeze was the top performing entry in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program seashore paspalum trials in 2016-2020 and proven to have much improved shade tolerance compared to other paspalums on the market.

SeaBreeze Grass
BENEFITS OF SEABREEZE
  • Superior drought tolerance
  • Excellent turf quality and color
  • Incredibly vigorous
  • Great turf density and ball support
  • Medium-fine leaf texture
  • Good dollar spot resistance
  • Flexible mowing (wall-to-wall type)
  • Salt tolerant
  • Better shade tolerance

 

SeaStar® : tee-to-green, all around grass

Developed from a genetic cross by Dr. Paul Raymer, SeaStar is the most widely adaptable variety released to the date through Team UGA. SeaStar is a fine-textured seashore paspalum cultivar that may be used for recreational turf and lawns, but most significantly, because it tolerates a wide range of mowing heights, SeaStar may be used on all golf courses surfaces including putting greens, tees, fairways and roughs.

BENEFITS OF SEASTAR
  • Top-Rated in NTEP: for turf quality, color, texture, and fall color
  • For use on all golf course surfaces: putting greens, tees, fairways, roughs
  • Tolerates wide range of mowing heights
  • Upright growth habit: non-dwarf, fine-textured, well-suited especially for putting greens
  • Dense turf canopy: excellent turf quality, tends to suppress weeds
  • Excellent color retention: may eliminate need for overseed in moderate cold
  • Improved drought tolerance: maintains turf quality & resists leaf firing during short-term drought
  • Less water: reduced irrigiation frequency to retain turf quality
  • Moderate dollar spot resistance
  • Salt tolerant

SeaIsleSupreme™ : golf courses, sports fields

Selected from a collection of more than 300 naturally occurring accessions, SeaIsle Supreme is a salt tolerant variety of seashore paspalum. This semi-dwarf variety is well-suited for use on sports fields, golf courses and recreational venues where water quality is an issue.

BENEFITS OF SEAISLE SUPREME
  •  Superior salt tolerance
  • Tolerates low quality irrigation sources with high salt content, effluent
  • Semi-dwarf: tolerates a wide range of mowing heights
  • Suitable for use on lawns, sports fields, all golf course surfaces including greens
  • Rapid grow-in: vigorous spreading growth habit, establishes quickly, recovers quickly from wear
  • Tolerates wide range of soil pH from 4.0 to 9.8
  • Stands up to salt spray, water logging, periodic flooding
  • Low fertilization requirements

SeaIsle2000™ : golf courses greens, sports fields

Developed from a sample collected at Alden Pines Country Club in Bokeelia, Florida, SeaIsle 2000 was the first seashore pasplaum grass developed by Team UGA specifically for use on golf course putting greens. The grass, however, is highly versatile and may also be used for sports fields and lawns.

BENEFITS OF SEAISLE 2000
  • Tolerates mowing heights to 1/8-inch or lower
  • Stimp readings of 10 feet or faster are possible.
  • Highly salt tolerant: stands up to salt spray, brackish water, effluent with proper management
  • Low fertilization requirements
  • Darker green color than bermudagrass
  • Tolerates wide range of soil pH from4.0 to 9.8
  • Tolerates low light conditions associated with clouds, fog, light shade

 

*SeaBreeze™, SeaStar®, SeaIsle Supreme™, and SeaIsle 2000™ are patented proprietary turfgrass varieties. The grasses are available through licensed sod producers. Unauthorized propagation is prohibited.

Seeded Varieties

While most seashore paspalum turfgrass cultivars are vegetatively propagated, there are a few seeded varieties available today in the marketplace. Team UGA has collaborated on two-seeded varieties.

SEASPRAY
Developed using UGA breeding material, SeaSpray was the first release of an improved, seeded seashore paspalum. An extremely salt tolerant turfgrass, it provides outstanding turf quality, a bright blue-green color, and a beautiful, uniform appearance.
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PURE DYNASTY
Developed using UGA breeding material, Pure Dynasty is the first seeded paspalum blend and was bred to produce faster establishment, tighter density, better disease resistance, and improved spring green-up.
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Our grasses remain among the most widely utilized seashore paspalum cultivars in the world.