Best Lawn Grass in the Philippines

Frog grass, carabao grass, manila grass and bermuda are the four lawn grasses most Philippine homeowners choose between, and the names get mixed up on almost every marketplace listing. This guide compares them on what decides the choice: shade, mowing, foot traffic and price. Two lawn alternatives, peanut grass and mondo grass, are at the end for spots where turf struggles.

Quick comparison

Grass	Botanical name	Sun or shade	Mowing	Foot traffic	Halamanan price	Where to use it
Frog grass	Axonopus compressus (dwarf form)	Partial shade to full sun	Very little, stays at about 5 cm	Some, but not in shade as well	₱85-₱100 per sqm	Shaded yards, damp or poor soil, low-upkeep lawns
Carabao grass	Axonopus compressus (standard form)	Same conditions as frog grass	Regular, grows to 15-20 cm with tall flower stalks	Not rated on our pages	Not sold	Budget lawns where a coarse look is fine
Manila grass (blue grass)	Zoysia matrella	Full sun, takes light shade	Less than bermuda, slow-growing	Good, dense and wear-resistant	₱150-₱180 per sqm	Premium sun lawns, coastal gardens
Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	Full sun, thins in shade	Frequent	Heavy, recovers fast	Not sold	Full-sun play and sports areas
Peanut grass	Arachis pintoi	Sun or shade	Optional	Light to moderate	₱5-₱7 per piece	Slopes and large open areas
Mondo grass	Ophiopogon japonicus	Sun or shade	Slow-growing, low upkeep	Light only	₱12 per plug	Shaded edges, path borders, between stepping stones

Peanut grass and mondo grass are sold per piece and planted at spacing, so they are not priced per square meter.

Frog grass (Axonopus compressus, dwarf form)

Frog grass is the dwarf form of carabao grass. It stays at about 5 cm, rarely flowers and barely needs mowing. It holds a lawn in partial shade and in damp, poor soil where bermuda thins out. The catch is that it tolerates partial shade or some foot traffic, not both at once, and it does not survive dry shade.

It is laid as sprigs and is a slow grower, slower than both bermuda and carabao. Gaps between sprigs take a couple of months to close, and it cannot outgrow weeds, so plan for regular weeding while it fills in. See the frog grass page for identification notes and pricing.

Carabao grass (Axonopus compressus)

Carabao grass (kulape) is the standard form of Axonopus compressus, the same species as frog grass. Its foliage reaches 15 to 20 cm and it sends up flowering stalks at 30 to 45 cm, so it looks leggier and needs cutting back. The broad, coarse, light green blade is the familiar PH default lawn.

The easiest way to tell the two apart is to leave a patch unmowed. Frog grass stays low. If it stands up and throws tall flower stalks, it is standard carabao grass. Standard carabao is also one of the common weeds that invades a frog grass lawn.

Halamanan does not sell standard carabao grass. If you want the carabao look without the mowing, frog grass is the dwarf form we supply. If you want a finer lawn, manila grass is the upgrade.

Manila grass, sold as blue grass (Zoysia matrella)

In the Philippines, “blue grass” means Zoysia matrella, whose common name is manila grass. It is not blue fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, both of which fail in PH lowland heat. It has fine, dark green, sharp-pointed blades and forms a dense, cushioned turf, finer than bermuda and a clear step up from carabao grass in look. It tolerates salt and light shade better than bermuda.

Compared with frog grass, it is more manicured and more sun-loving, and it goes down as sod blocks that look uniform on day one. It is slower to establish than bermuda and costs more. See the blue grass page for identification, care and pricing.

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)

Bermuda has fine, wiry blades and obvious surface runners. It loves full sun and goes leggy in shade. It needs frequent mowing, but it takes heavier traffic and recovers faster than any of the others here, which is why it suits play areas and sports lawns. Halamanan does not sell bermuda.

Lawn alternatives: peanut grass and mondo grass

Neither is a turf grass, but both cover ground where a lawn is hard to keep.

• Peanut grass (Arachis pintoi) is a low, flowering, nitrogen-fixing legume. It takes shade better than turf, smothers weeds once established, and mowing is optional. It handles light to moderate foot traffic but is not a sports surface. At ₱5 to ₱7 per rooted piece, it is the cheapest way to cover a slope or a large open area.
• Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) is a dark green, grass-like groundcover for shaded courtyards, path borders and gaps between stepping stones. It tolerates light foot traffic only, so it is not a play-lawn substitute. Plugs are ₱12 each.

For the full range, see our ground covers.

How much does each grass cost per square meter?

Frog grass is ₱100 per sqm, or ₱85 per sqm above 10 sqm. Manila grass (blue grass) is ₱180 per sqm, or ₱150 per sqm above 10 sqm. Both prices are for the grass only. Soil preparation, delivery and installation are quoted per project based on site access and ground condition.

Halamanan does not sell carabao grass or bermuda. Zoysia prices above bermuda and well above carabao grass because of its finer texture and slower production.

Which grass for my lawn?

Choose by your light and how much upkeep you want:

• Shaded or semi-shaded yard, minimal mowing: frog grass, if you will keep up with weeding while it fills in.
• Full sun, premium finished look: manila grass (blue grass).
• Full sun, heavy traffic, fast recovery: bermuda.
• Lowest cost, coarse look acceptable: carabao grass.
• Slope or large area you do not want to mow: peanut grass.
• Shaded edge or stepping-stone fill: mondo grass.

Not sure which fits your site? Send us your lawn area, a few photos and how much sun it gets through the quote form, and we will recommend a grass and quote it supplied or installed.