Lawn alternatives, state by state
What grows where you live — USDA zones, planting windows, native picks and local rules, for all 50 states.
Why your state matters
The same seed behaves differently in Vermont and Arizona. Each state guide gives the USDA hardiness zones, the best planting windows, which lawn alternatives suit the local climate, and any state-specific rules or rebates worth knowing. Find yours below.
What each state guide actually covers
Every state page follows the same structure so you can compare states quickly: your USDA hardiness zone range and what it means for planting, the specific low-input species that actually suit your climate (not a generic national list), realistic sowing windows for spring and fall, and any state-level rules or rebate programs worth knowing about before you convert a lawn — HOA restrictions, water-district incentives, or invasive-species lists that affect what you can legally plant.
States are grouped below by broad region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West) purely for browsing convenience — your actual planting decisions should follow your USDA zone and local site conditions, not the regional label. A humid-summer state in the Northeast and a humid-summer state in the South often want similar species despite being in different regions on this page; the zone finder is the more precise starting point if you are near a regional edge.
Find your state guide
Pick your state for climate-matched recommendations. If you’re between zones or near a border, the USDA zone finder pins down your exact zone first; then the state guide tells you what to plant and when.
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
Start with your USDA zone
Then match a lawn type to it.