Bermuda
The most widely used warm-season turfgrass in the southern US. Bermuda has fine, dense blades and spreads aggressively by both above-ground stolons and underground rhizomes. It thrives in heat and full sun but goes dormant and turns brown in winter.
- Season
- Warm-season
- Mow height
- 1-2 inches
- Spreads by
- Stolons and rhizomes
- Blade width
- Fine
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Shade tolerance
- Low
- Regions
- Southeast, Southwest, Transition Zone
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is the go-to turfgrass for sports fields, golf courses, and home lawns across the South. Its aggressive spreading habit means it recovers quickly from damage and fills in bare spots on its own, but that same aggressiveness makes it hard to contain around garden beds.
Best use: High-traffic lawns, sports fields, full-sun home lawns in the South.
Mowing: Keep at 1-2 inches. Bermuda loves low, frequent mowing. Raise to 2 inches in summer heat.
Fertilizer: Heavy feeder, 4-6 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year during the growing season.
Watering: Moderate need. Very drought-tolerant once established but looks best with regular watering.
Dormancy: Goes dormant and turns brown when temps fall below 50°F. Greens up in spring.
More on Grass Types
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