[3] Today, Z. japonica has become one of the most widely used species of turfgrass in the United States and other countries worldwide such as in Brazil,[5] serving as a close and cheaper alternative to bermudagrass.

[3] Its high tolerance to drought, freezing temperatures, salt, and shade make for a favorable lawn grass.

[10] Although it is tolerant to freezing temperatures, it does lose its bright green color, turning brown after frost.

[8] Although Z. japonica is one of the only Zoysia species that can be seeded, it has a lengthy germination rate of at least a month, so vegetative planting is the primary form of cultivation.

[12][9] Z. japonica seeds require a moist environment and a temperature of at least 70 °F (21 °C) to germinate, and therefore sod, sprigs, and plugs are less prohibitive methods of planting.

[12] Upkeep of Z. japonica varies based on uses, in general requiring a moderate level of nitrogen fertilizer to keep its density.

[3] One major problem with Z. japonica in recreational landscapes is its seeding in spring, which is aesthetically unacceptable requiring additional maintenance costs.

[13][14] Brosnan et al., 2012 suppresses seedhead development with imidazolinones without killing the grass, and Patton et al., 2018 achieves the same result with ethephon.