How cold tolerant is Sapphire?
Sapphire has been successfully grown on commercial sod farms as far north as Coastal North Carolina and has survived minimum temperatures of 18o F without significant damage. Sapphire thrives in a wide range of climatic conditions in USDA Zones 8b to 11, which stretches from Florida, northward to the coastal Carolinas, westward along the gulf coast region into central Texas, and continues into southwestern Arizona and coastal and central California. The cold hardiness of any particular turfgrass, however, is dependent on several factors, including the minimum low temperature, the duration of the cold, the hydration of the turfgrass, wind, soil type and proper establishment of the turfgrass in question. Before a huge investment is made in placing Sapphire in a colder region, a small sample or “test” plot should be planted to confirm success.
