Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Chloridoideae, tribe Cynodonteae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common Bermuda (unimproved wild-type or standard seeded variety)
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, with excellent heat tolerance and moderate cold tolerance (goes dormant and turns straw-colored below 50°F).
About This Grass
A fine to medium-textured warm-season grass with a vigorous growth habit. It features grey-green to bright green leaves and forms a dense, tightly knit carpet capable of withstanding heavy traffic. Unmowed height can reach 6 to 12 inches, but it is typically maintained much lower.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium-narrow (2-3 mm wide), flat, with pointed tips and a grayish-green color. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent.
Root System
Deep, aggressive root system with fibrous roots supplemented by deep rhizomes and surface stolons. Establishes rapidly from seed, stolons, or plugs, creating a dense sod with moderate thatch tendencies.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to East Africa, widely naturalized and cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Aggressive, spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground), forming a dense, durable turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight) and has good drought tolerance due to deep roots, going dormant during extended dry periods. Prefers well-draining soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 inches for hybrid varieties and up to 2 inches for common Bermuda. Requires frequent mowing during peak growing season, high nitrogen fertilization (4-6 lbs per 1000 sq ft annually) for optimum color, and regular dethatching. High maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic and wear tolerance with rapid recuperative ability from damage. Good salt tolerance, highly competitive against weeds when healthy, but poor shade tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides effective soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes and banks, though it can become invasive in flower beds and agricultural fields due to its aggressive spreading stolons and rhizomes.