Why Is EMPIRE™ Zoysia Turf So Good?
New Research
New research has shown why EMPIRE™ Turf is so good.
EMPIRE™ Turf needs far less mowing than other turf types.
EMPIRE™ Turf in this investigation required the least mowing.
Kikuyu needed 3 times more mowing than EMPIRE™. Couch needed twice as much mowing as EMPIRE™. EMPIRE™ needed 31.8 % less mowing than Buffalo.
Less mowing not only saves money and time, it also greatly reduces pollution from lawn mowers, reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses going into the atmosphere. Making EMPIRE™ the most environmentally friendly turf.
Other turf types compared to EMPIRE™:
| Variety | Percentage of increase of Mowing vs Empire | Average No of Mows over 14 weeks, Spring/Summer |
| EMPIRE™ | 0% | 5.5 |
| Buffalo Variants | 31.80% | 7.25 |
| Greenlees Couch | 100.00% | 11 |
| Kikuyu | 172.70% | 15 |
This is only a summary of key findings. But to better understand the paper, and see the research and other important aspects it is recommended to read the entire mowing trials research paper here (opens in new window).
Please note: The results in this investigation were achieved in what we believe was an accurate and unbiased manor, and should anyone follow the same experiment again, Ozbreed believes they should get similar results. For purposes of full disclosure, the following information is tabled.
This investigation was conducted by Ian Paananen, a scientist, who has completed some other paid work for Ozbreed Pty Ltd in the past, and Henry Locock, a mowing contractor who has worked for the principle of Ozbreed in the past, and Nathan Dutschke a horticulturalist and an employee of Ozbreed.
Download the Full Mowing Trials Research PDF » (0.85MB)
EMPIRE™ Turf is the best erosion control turf
Table 5: Turf shear vane test results and statistics for Clarendon.
| Turf Type | Shear Strength in kPa | Significant difference to bare soil | % increase to bare soil |
| Bare soil | 66 | N/A | N/A |
| Couch | 68.1 | No | 3.2% |
| Kikuyu | 72.4 | No | 9.7% |
| EMPIRE™ | 97.9 | Yes | 48% |
EMPIRE™ Zoysia Turf strengthened the soil significantly, at a rate of 97.9 kPA, considerably more than Couch 68.1 kPa (Bermuda grass) and Kikuyu 72.4 kPa.
This data can help Engineers, Landscape Architects, and Erosion Control professionals choose the right turf that better strengthens the soil, and enhances erosion control of slopes, batters, stream embankments, roadsides, retaining walls, and shore lines. EMPIRE™ turf is that right turf.
Download the Full Erosion Control Research PDF » (0.60MB)
EMPIRE™ Turf has been given the nick name E.Z. Grass...
(pronounced 'easy' grass)
E.Z. to keep looking good
- Tolerates extreme wear
- Low thatching
- Less scalping
- Good in moderate shade
- Good winter colour
- Relatively finer leaf
E.Z. to look after
- Competes well with weeds & buffalo
- Requires less mowing than any other commercially grown lawn in Australia
- Water efficient to the extreme
- Nothing can look so good with such little water
E.Z. to grow
- Farmers love growing it and you will to
E.Z. to Install
- The strongest and best turf rolls or slabs you will ever see
Water Wise
- Zoysia's are known to be amongst the most drought tolerant lawns around
- EMPIRE™ is proving to be even more water efficient than other Zoysia types
"EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA – It just keeps looking good"
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA is a versatile, adaptable lawn, well suited
to Australian conditions. EMPIRE has performed well in both
sandy and clay soil types, with aggressive growth from its
runners and rhizomes. It can be mown with a standard rotary
mower due to its ideal leaf width and open growth habit.
It requires less maintenance and mowing
than other grasses and is a very efficient water user.
This hard wearing, versatile turf grass thrives in all climatic regions of Australia, from Darwin to Tasmania, from Sydney to Perth, and would even survive in places where the temperature drops to 20 degrees below 0.
The perfect landscape grass
- Tough, easy to look after, and looks great, is soft to touch.
- With such little mowing required, it is the ideal lawn for slopes.
EMPIRE Turf is ideal for:
- Home Lawn
- Roadsides
- Amenity areas
- Sports and more
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA is the only grass in Australia that is hard wearing, yet low maintenance. Its deep root and rhizome system gives it unmatched toughness. If you want it to grow fast fertilise it, however if you want a slow growing, less mowing lawn that still wears well, lay off the fertilizer. With EMPIRE you have a choice, fast or slow. For most situations, yearly fertilising should be sufficient, but for higher wear areas fertilise more.
Good Winter Colour
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA has good winter colour when
compared to other more common turf.
Tough and Hardwearing
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA has excellent fast growth
across the ground. Its runners are fast and highly branching,
which provides excellent recovery from wear. EMPIRE ZOYSIA
is quickly becoming known as the tough, hardwearing turf.
Less Mowing
Although EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA grows across the
ground at a fast rate, its upwards leaf growth is less than
most other commercially grown lawns in Australia. Ask for
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA. It grows fast across the ground for better
wear tolerance, but one that grows more slowly upwards for
less mowing.
Great at Out Competing Weeds
Once EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA is well established, its dense growth makes it much harder for weeds to establish. Of course, occasionally weeds can develop in EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA, and if in the unlikely event this occurs, please follow our maintenance guide.
Less Thatch, Less Scalping
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA is known for its ability to create a dense sward without major
thatch problems. EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA has less thatch and less scalping than
any other zoysia.
Disease & Pest Tolerance
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA is very resistant to turf diseases
and pests and will generally not show symptoms of most common
disease and pest problems that plague other turf varieties.
As with any natural product problems can occasionally occur,
and if they do, please consult our maintenance guide, or
seek expert advice.
Shade Tolerance
EMPIRE™ ZOYSIA performs well in full sun, but also will tolerate moderate shade.
(see above image)