Its popularity as a lawn grass stems from its adaptation to low fertility conditions and its low maintenance requirements. Over fertilization and over watering tend to cause a decline in appearance while simultaneously promoting diseases such as brown patch. Centipede is a course-textured perennial grass that slowly spreads by stolons. It has a yellow-green color and a relatively slow rate of growth. Centipede has poor cold tolerance and is better suited to grow on sandy, acid soils in the southeast.