Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10, excellent heat tolerance, enters winter dormancy and turns brown below 50°F, moderate cold tolerance depending on the specific cultivar
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (unimproved wild-type / naturalized varieties)
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf with grayish-green to bright green leaves. Heights range from 0.5 to 2 inches when maintained, but can reach 6 to 12 inches if left unmowed. Produces distinctive finger-like (digitate) seed heads containing 3 to 7 spikes at the apex of slender stems.
Blade Characteristics
Fine to medium width (2-4mm), flat or slightly folded, pointed tips, grayish-green to light green color, folded vernation in the bud, membranous-fringed ligule, and small or absent auricles
Root System
Deep root system extending several feet into the soil, fibrous with aggressive rhizomes and stolons, moderate thatch-forming tendency, fast establishment from seed and vegetative plugs, excellent drought survival and rapid wear recovery
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, widely naturalized globally and cultivated extensively in tropical and warm-temperate regions
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground), forming a dense, wear-resistant turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight), moderate to high drought tolerance once established, goes into dormancy under severe drought or cold, prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 0.75 to 1.5 inches frequently with a reel or rotary mower, high fertilizer requirements (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year during active growth), requires regular dethatching and aeration due to aggressive spreading, high maintenance level
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance, good recovery from damage, high salt tolerance, poor shade tolerance, highly invasive in flower beds, excellent for sports fields, golf course fairways, and home lawns in warm regions
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America, high value for soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes, provides moderate wildlife value for grazing herbivores, can act as a persistent weed in non-turf agricultural and landscape settings