Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Golf Course Grass, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (or improved turf types like Tifway 419)
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10 (and warmer parts of Zone 6). Excellent heat and drought tolerance, but goes dormant and loses color upon first frost (tolerates lows down to around 0°F to 10°F before suffering crown damage).
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf with a fine to medium texture. Color is a vibrant medium to dark green during the active growing season, but it goes completely dormant and turns straw-brown under frost or prolonged drought. Unmowed, it can reach heights of 4 to 15 inches, featuring slender, digitately arranged raceme seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Fine to medium blades (2-3 mm wide), flat or folded, with pointed tips. Leaf blades are grayish-green to medium green. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent.
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system extending several feet into the soil when unconstrained. Spreads rapidly via robust rhizomes and stolons, establishing a dense sod quickly with a moderate to high tendency to build thatch.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; widely naturalized in warm temperate to tropical regions globally; performs best in hot, sunny climates.
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground), forming a very dense, tight turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required (intolerant of dense shade). High drought tolerance via dormancy, but requires regular moisture for optimal green turf. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 inches (frequent mowing with a reel or sharp rotary mower is beneficial). High fertilizer requirement during peak growing season (3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year). Requires regular dethatching and aeration due to rapid mat formation. High maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance with rapid recuperative ability from damage. Good salt tolerance. Excellent for home lawns, sports fields, golf course fairways and tees. Aggressive nature allows it to crowd out many weeds.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes due to dense root/stolon network. Low wildlife food value compared to native prairie grasses, but offers ground cover and habitat. Often managed as an invasive weed in non-turf agricultural settings.