Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10 (can survive in Zone 6 with proper winterization). Excellent heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance (goes dormant and turns straw-brown at first frost).
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (unimproved wild-type or standard seeded varieties)
About This Grass
Forms a dense, low-growing turf with fine to medium texture and bright green to grayish-green color. Height ranges from under 1 inch when mowed to 6-12 inches if unmowed. Produces slender, finger-like (digitate) seed head spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is fine to medium (2-3mm); flat or folded shape; pointed tips; gray-green to light green color; folded in the bud (vernation); hairy ligule; no auricles; broad collar.
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system extending up to 6 feet or more in favorable soils. Moderate thatch tendency, fast establishment from seed or vegetative plugs, exceptionally rapid wear recovery due to aggressive stoloniferous and rhizomatous growth.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; widely naturalized and cultivated in warm temperate to tropical regions globally.
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both rhizomes and stolons, forming a dense, durable turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight; very poor shade tolerance). High drought tolerance via dormancy, but requires moderate to high water for active lush growth. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 5.8 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 0.75 to 1.5 inches. Requires frequent mowing during peak growing season. High fertilizer requirement (3-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). High maintenance level, requires regular dethatching and aeration.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance, good recovery rate, moderate salt tolerance, very poor shade tolerance, highly effective for erosion control, can become an aggressive weed in flower beds due to rapid spreading stolons.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control. Valued for pasture and turf, but can be invasive in natural ecosystems and agricultural settings. Often forms monocultures.