Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture/Forage, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 7 through 10, highly heat tolerant, goes dormant below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf or taller unmanaged meadow when left unmowed. Bright to dark green color, medium-fine texture, turning brown and dormant during cold winter months.
Blade Characteristics
Medium-fine blades (2-4mm wide), flat, pointed tips, grayish-green to bright green, folded in the bud with a membranous, fringed ligule and hairy or absent auricles.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system with extensive rhizomes and stolons, fast establishment from seed and vegetative parts, excellent drought recovery and wear tolerance.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Tropical Africa and Asia, widely naturalized in tropical and warm temperate regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Aggressive, spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required, high drought tolerance once established, performs best in well-drained soils with a pH between 5.8 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 0.5 to 1.5 inches for lawns, medium-high maintenance, requires frequent mowing during peak growing season and moderate to high fertilization.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance, high recovery rate, good salt tolerance, excellent for erosion control and sports turfs.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many regions, provides good soil stabilization, valuable for livestock pasture and erosion control on solar farms, can become invasive in flower beds.