Matilda Buffalo Grass

Matilda - a quality soft leaf buffalo lawn
photo courtesy of Matilda Buffalo

Introducing Matilda Soft Buffalo

Matilda is another new soft leaf buffalo grass which has come onto the Australian turf market in recent years. Matilda has been proven in Microscopic Buffalo Grass Photos to be one of the "truly soft" Buffalo types for sale in Australia today. A fact which is equally proven by the best softness test of all - walking barefoot across the grass, or by watching kids enjoy playing on this turf.

History Of Matilda

Exactly like Sir Walter, Matilda was selected from it's Shademaster parent plant for displaying unique characteristics that were different from the parent, and in this respect Sir Walter and Matilda can be regarded as "brother" plants.

Despite these similar origins, Matilda is a very unique Buffalo lawn type with its own unique strengths and characteristics which separate it from the other soft leaf Buffalo grasses.

Characteristics Of Matilda Buffalo

Matilda is a semi-dwarf Buffalo lawn, which simply refers to Matilda having finer and thinner stems and stolons, a trait which is quite unique amongst the better selling, and better quality Buffalo lawn types.

The leaf width is narrower than Common Buffalo and Sir Walter, and wider than Sapphire, with a leaf width approximate to Palmetto. (leaf description courtesy of the buffalo grass review site)

Matilda proved itself very well in recent turf studies which showed this grass to be a durable and respectable contender amongst it's peers. With good shade tolerance, good disease resistance, low seeding levels, very good drought tolerance, very good wear and tear tolerance and recovery, and good winter colour, Matilda can only be regarded as a very good all-round Soft Leaf Buffalo Grass.

Lawn Mowing and Thatch

Thatching levels don't seem to be as good as what they could be for Matilda, but these certainly are not as bad as some other Buffalo types being sold, so this grass may require good thatch control as we recommend elsewhere on The Lawn Guide for all buffalo grass types, which will involve cutting back the turf at low heights each Spring.

This thatch layer combined with the semi-dwarf stems and stolons of this grass does seem to give Matilda its very good wear and tear tolerance and recovery properties.

Matilda Buffalo will benefit greatly from being mowed at correct lawn mowing heights for all buffalo lawns, which will be between 35mm - 60mm for optimum health, and this grass will have average lawn mowing requirements when compared to it's peers.

Conclusion

In conclusion we can only say that Matilda is worthy of consideration as a quality Soft Leaf Buffalo lawn type, and sits alongside what we believe to be the better soft buffalo types which include Palmetto, Matilda, Sapphire and Sir Walter.