Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass; highly adapted to the transition zone
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (uncultivated wild type / seedling stage)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10 (can survive in Zone 6 with proper care); excellent heat and drought tolerance; goes completely dormant and turns brown with the first heavy frost
About This Grass
Forms low-growing, dense patches spreading across bare red clay soil via active stolons. Spreading habit is clearly visible with interconnected clusters of short, fine-textured, bright green leaves radiating outward.
Blade Characteristics
Fine-textured blades (1.5-3mm wide), flat to folded in the bud (folded vernation), pointed tips, bright green to grayish-green color, smooth texture, prominent collar with a fringe of hairs representing the ligule, lacking prominent auricles
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system combined with aggressive shallow stolons and underground rhizomes; moderate to fast establishment, highly drought-tolerant once established, excellent wear recovery
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; widely naturalized and cultivated in southern and transition zones of the United States
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous and rhizomatous, forming a dense, tightly knit turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 8 hours of direct sunlight daily); moderate to high drought tolerance entering dormancy during severe drought; prefers well-drained soils with wide pH tolerance (6.0 to 7.0)
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 0.75 to 1.5 inches for lawns (lower for golf turf); requires frequent mowing during peak growing season; high nitrogen requirement (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually); high maintenance level
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance, rapid recovery from damage via stolons/rhizomes, good salt tolerance, poor shade tolerance, excellent erosion control on sloping clay soils
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control on disturbed red clay soils; can exhibit aggressive, weed-like tendencies in garden beds adjacent to turf areas