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, Golf Course Grass, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda or hybrid selections like 'Tifway', exhibiting aggressive spreading capability
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, excellent heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance with complete dormancy and winter discoloration below freezing
About This Grass
Forms a very dense, fine-to-medium textured turf with a bright to dark green color, turning brown and going dormant during winter frosts; aggressive grower spreading via surface stolons and underground rhizomes
Blade Characteristics
Fine to medium width (2-3mm), flat blades with pointed tips, grayish-green to bright green color, rolled in the bud (vernation), prominent midrib, membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, and absent or small auricles
Root System
Deep fibrous root system going down several feet in favorable soils, highly drought-tolerant, rapid establishment from seed or vegetative plugs, moderate thatch-forming tendency
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to East Africa, widely naturalized and cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Both rhizomatous and stoloniferous, aggressive and fast-spreading, forming a dense, tight mat or sod
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required (poor shade tolerance), highly drought-tolerant once established by going semi-dormant during severe dry spells, prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow low at 0.5 to 1.5 inches frequently, high fertilizer requirement during active growth (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), regular dethatching and vertical mowing needed, high maintenance level
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance with rapid recuperative ability, good salt tolerance, excellent for athletic fields and golf course fairways, aggressive weed crowder
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America, provides good soil stabilization and erosion control, minimal wildlife food value for native fauna, can behave invasively in natural areas adjacent to turf