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 (unimproved wild-type or standard turf cultivars such as 'Princess 77' or 'Riviera')
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10 (can survive in Zone 6 with cold-hardy cultivars, though winter damage may occur). Excellent heat and drought tolerance. Goes completely dormant and turns straw-brown during freezing winter temperatures.
About This Grass
Fine- to medium-textured warm-season turfgrass with a blue-green to grayish-green color during the active growing season. Forms a dense, carpet-like sward. Height ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 inches when maintained as turf, but can grow up to 6-12 inches if unmowed. Produces slender seed heads with 3 to 7 digitate (finger-like) spikes radiating from the top of the stem.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are flat, relatively short, medium width (2-4 mm), with pointed tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. Color ranges from light green to dark gray-green. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent. The collar is continuous and often features prominent hairs at the margins.
Root System
Extremely deep root system (often reaching 4 to 6 feet or more in favorable soils), consisting of fibrous roots, rhizomes, and stolons. Rapid establishment from seed or vegetative plugs/sod. High thatch-forming tendency under high fertility and moisture. Excellent drought tolerance and rapid recovery from wear via aggressive lateral spreading.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; widely naturalized and cultivated in warm temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions globally.
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground), forming a dense, wear-resistant mat or sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires Full Sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily; very poor shade tolerance). High water requirement for optimal growth and green color, but exhibits exceptional drought tolerance by entering summer dormancy under severe moisture stress. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.8 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is low, between 0.5 and 1.5 inches, requiring frequent mowing (every 3-5 days during peak growth). High fertilizer requirement (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year for high-maintenance turf). Regular dethatching and core aeration are necessary due to rapid thatch accumulation. High maintenance level when managed intensively.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance, making it ideal for sports fields, golf course fairways, and high-use lawns. Fast recuperative rate. Good salt tolerance. Poor shade tolerance. Susceptible to certain diseases like dollar spot, large patch, and spring dead spot, as well as pests like sod webworms and grubs.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes and coastal areas due to its dense root and stolon network. Can act as an aggressive invasive weed in agricultural fields and non-turf landscapes outside its intended use areas. Often grown in monoculture or blended with overseeded cool-season grasses for winter color.