Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, with high heat tolerance and moderate cold tolerance (goes dormant and turns brown below 50 degrees Fahrenheit).
About This Grass
Forms a dense, tough, fine to medium-textured turf with a grayish-green to bright green color. Spreads rapidly to form a tight sod. Unmowed, it can grow up to 6 to 12 inches tall with finger-like seed heads arranged in spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are flat, short, grayish-green, medium width (2-3 mm), pointed tips, folded in the bud (vernation), with a hairy ligule and absent auricles.
Root System
Deep, aggressive root system with extensive rhizomes and stolons; moderate to high thatch tendency; establishes quickly from seed or sod, providing excellent drought tolerance and wear recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
African tropics and subtropics, naturalized globally in warm climates
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight); high drought tolerance by entering dormancy during extreme dry spells; prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 0.75 to 1.5 inches for lawns (lower for golf courses); requires frequent mowing during peak growing season; high maintenance level requiring regular fertilization (3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually) and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear tolerance and rapid recovery, making it ideal for sports fields and high-traffic lawns; good salt tolerance; poor shade tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many regions; provides good erosion control on slopes and banks due to dense root network; can behave invasively in agricultural settings or garden beds bordering turf areas.