Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture/Forage Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (unimproved wild-type populations exhibiting typical fine-textured creeping habit)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, with some cold-hardier selections surviving into lower Zone 6. Highly heat tolerant, goes dormant when temperatures drop below 50°F.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf with fine to medium texture. Unmowed heights can reach 6 to 12 inches with slender seed stalk stems rising above the foliage. Color is grayish-green to medium green during active growth, going into winter dormancy and turning straw-brown under frost. Seed heads consist of 3 to 7 digitate spikes arranged in a finger-like cluster at the top of slender stems.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are narrow (2-3 mm wide), flat, short, pointed at the tips, and grayish-green. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent.
Root System
Deep, aggressive fibrous root system complemented by extensive rhizomes and stolons. Establishes rapidly from seed, sprigs, or sod, forming a tight, wear-resistant sod with moderate thatch tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa, but widely naturalized and cultivated globally in tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate regions.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and rhizomatous, spreading aggressively both above and below ground to form a dense, tough turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 8 hours of direct sunlight) and high heat. Moderate drought tolerance due to deep roots (goes dormant during severe drought and greens up quickly with water). Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 0.5 to 1.5 inches for optimal turf quality using a reel or sharp rotary mower. High maintenance when managed as a formal turf requiring frequent mowing, high nitrogen fertilization (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), and regular dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance with rapid recuperative ability from damage. Good salt tolerance and drought recovery. Frequently used for athletic fields, golf course fairways, and home lawns in warm regions.
Ecological Information
Introduced in many parts of the world outside of Africa; can act as an aggressive invasive weed in agricultural fields and non-turf settings. Provides excellent soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes, though wildlife food value is limited compared to native prairie grasses.