Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common or hybrid Bermuda (e.g., Tifway)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, excellent heat tolerance, poor shade tolerance, enters winter dormancy below 50 degrees Fahrenheit
About This Grass
Forms a dense, fine-to-medium textured turf with excellent wear recovery. Light green to dark green color, goes dormant and turns brown during winter frosts.
Blade Characteristics
Fine to medium blades, flat, pointed tips, folded in the bud, with a hairy ligule and absent auricles
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system with extensive underground rhizomes and surface stolons, highly drought-resistant and fast-establishing
Growing Information
Origin Region
Africa and tropical regions, widely naturalized globally in warm climates
Growth Habit
Aggressive, spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required, moderate water needs with high drought tolerance once established, prefers well-drained soils
Mowing & Maintenance
Low to moderate mowing height (0.5 to 1.5 inches), high maintenance requirement during peak growing season due to rapid vertical and horizontal growth
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance, rapid self-repair via stolons and rhizomes, good salt tolerance, but very low shade tolerance
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many regions, provides excellent soil stabilization and erosion control due to dense mat, but can be invasive in flower beds