Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass, well-suited to the transition zone
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control, Pasture
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, highly heat-tolerant, goes dormant and turns straw-colored with the first hard frost
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (wild-type or unselected strains)
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf with branching stems, medium-fine texture, bright green to gray-green color, spreading rapidly via surface runners and underground stems
Blade Characteristics
Medium-fine blades (2-3mm wide), flat, tapering to a pointed tip, grayish-green, rolled in the bud, with a hairy fringe for a ligule and absent auricles
Root System
Deep fibrous root system with extensive rhizomes and stolons; moderate to fast establishment, high drought tolerance and exceptional wear recovery
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; cultivated globally in warm climates
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous and rhizomatous, forming a dense, durable mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required (poor shade tolerance), high drought tolerance once established, low to moderate water needs, prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 0.5 to 1.5 inches frequently, high fertilizer needs for optimum color and density (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), high maintenance requirement
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance, excellent drought and salt tolerance, poor shade tolerance, highly invasive in flower beds, rapid recovery from damage
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many regions, provides erosion control on slopes, offers limited wildlife value, can become an aggressive agricultural and garden weed