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 or similar fine-textured utility turf cultivar
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10; excellent heat tolerance; goes dormant and turns straw-brown at the first hard frost; poor cold tolerance compared to cool-season grasses
About This Grass
Forms a dense, bright to grey-green turf mat with fine to medium texture; grows rapidly during warm months, reaching 2 to 6 inches if unmoved; produces digitated seed heads with 3 to 7 spikes radiating from a single point at maturity
Blade Characteristics
Medium-to-fine blade width (2-3mm); flat shape with pointed tips; light to medium green color; rolled in the bud (vernation); membranous or fringe-of-hairs ligule; auricles absent; smooth collar region
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system extending up to 6 feet or more in favorable soils; moderate to high thatch-forming tendency; rapid establishment from seed or vegetative plugs/sod, providing excellent wear recovery and drought evasion via deep roots
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Africa and tropical/subtropical regions worldwide; widely naturalized and cultivated across southern and transition zone regions of the United States
Growth Habit
Aggressively spreading via both stolons (above ground) and rhizomes (below ground), forming a dense, wear-resistant turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun required (poor shade tolerance); high drought tolerance through dormancy; requires regular irrigation for active growth but survives periods of extreme drought; adapts well to various well-drained soils with pH 5.8-7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 inches for a manicured look; frequent mowing required during peak growing season; moderate to high fertilization needs (3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year); regular dethatching and aeration required due to rapid lateral growth; high maintenance level
Special Characteristics
Exceptional wear and traffic tolerance; high recuperative potential; good salt tolerance; poor shade tolerance; prone to common turf diseases like dollar spot and large patch under high humidity and excess nitrogen
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control on slopes; provides limited wildlife value compared to native prairies, but serves as a durable ground cover; can exhibit invasive weed-like tendencies in flower beds due to aggressive stolons