ROOTED IN RESEARCH


ZOYSIAGRASS, HOW DID IT GET TO THE U.S.? —PART ONE


In 1892, James B. Olcott was appointed by the Connecticut State Agricultural Experiment Station to collect various grasses which could potentially benefit the state.


By Mike Fidanza, PhD


In the ‘Rooted in Research’ column, on occasion we’ll explore the history behind various aspects of turfgrass science. Tere are three primary species of zoysiagrass used in the turf industry: Zoysia japonica, Zoysia matrella, and Zoysia pacifica. Zoysiagrass is a warm-season turfgrass that originated in East Asia and the Pacific Islands, and today is used primarily for golf courses and lawns.


So, let’s take a historical look at the people who introduced zoysiagrass to the United States. Tese folks were considered botanists, agrostologists (a person who specializes in the study of grasses), and plant explorers.


Zoysiagrass first arrived in the U.S. in 1892 thanks to James B. Olcott (1830-1910), of Manchester, Connecticut. He was appointed by the Connecticut State Agricultural Experiment Station to collect various grasses which could potentially benefit the state.


As a result, in 1885, Olcott established and maintained the first “turf garden” in the U.S., consisting of his collection of grasses from all over the world. Perhaps we can say this was the very first turfgrass variety trial in the U.S. He had an area divided into individual square plots, planted with many different kinds of grasses he evaluated for suitability as a turfgrass, and did selections and crossbreeding.


48 “… in 1885, Olcott established and maintained the first “turf garden” in the U.S.,


consisting of his collection of grasses from all over the world. Perhaps we can say this was the very first turfgrass variety trial in the U.S.”


He traveled to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to collect various grass species, and he made requests of plant material to botanists and gardeners in many countries. Zoysiagrass was introduced for the first time into the U.S. from Olcott’s garden. His written records list a grass labeled as “Korai shiba” from Yokohama, Japan. It is unknown if Olcott traveled to Japan to collect the grass himself, or if it was sent to him, since his records indicate the source as the Yokohama Nursery Company. Tis grass was actually Zoysia matrella and was planted in U.S. soil for the first time in 1892.


Olcott was known as “the Grass Man,” because he was probably the best authority on grasses in his time. For example, he provided advice for Central Park in New York City, and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It was written that “… Olcott conceived the idea that ‘greenswards’ could be developed of … fine quality.”


TPI Turf News May/June 2021


John M.B. Sill sent seed of Zoysia japonica to the USDA in 1894 while he was serving as a U.S. diplomat to Korea.


In 1894, Frank Lamson-Scribner became head of the new USDA Division of Agrostology.


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