Different Types of Bermuda Grass

Cynodon dactylon, commonly known as Bermuda grass, is a well-known perennial turf grass native to the Mediterranean, Africa, Europe, and Asia. There are over 50 different varieties of Bermuda grass, which are divided into two types: seeded Bermuda grass and sterile vegetative hybrids.

Classification (Common vs Hybrid Bermudagrass)

It is difficult to tell apart the blades of common and hybrid Bermuda grass varieties. The difference is most noticeable if you leave a patch of the grass unmowed for a week. Common Bermuda grass seed heads will quickly rise above the level of the unmowed patch whereas the seed heads of hybrid Bermuda grass will be smaller.

Dr. Wayne Hanna, a USDA grass geneticist in Tifton, suggests that you tap a seed head from each onto a piece of black paper to tell them apart. The pollen from common Bermuda grass will form a tiny yellow cloud on the paper while the pollen produced by hybrid Bermuda grass is sterile.

If the two are growing next to each other, the hybrid grass will be a deeper green in color than the common type.

Different types of Bermuda grass

Here are the different varieties of Bermuda grass:

Celebration Bermudagrass

Most people prefer celebration Bermuda grass because of its deep blue-green color. This variety performed best in numerous university research studies for wear tolerance and recovery, drought resistance, drought tolerance, and shade tolerance.

Drought tolerance and drought resistance are not the same thing. Drought tolerance is the ability of the Bermuda grass Celebration to survive a drought, whereas drought resistance is its ability to look good while suffering from drought. Celebration Bermuda grass comes out on top in both tests.

It is commonly found on professional golf courses and sports fields all over the world, not just in the United States.

Characteristics of Celebration Bermuda grass

Width of the blade: 1.7 mm
Excellent Wear Tolerance
Injury and shade recovery is excellent.
Tolerance: Excellent
Drought Tolerance: Extremely High
Insect Resistance: Excellent Disease Excellent resistance
Weed Control: Excellent
Golf, commercial landscapes, sports fields, parks, and home lawns are all good places to put it.
0.5–1.5 inch mowing height

Bermuda grass at 36 degrees latitude

Latitude 36® Bermuda grass is well-known for its striking color and texture, which set it apart from other home lawns and Bermuda grasses. This turfgrass was developed by the renowned Oklahoma State University and is one of the most cold-hardy Bermuda grasses available.

Latitude 36, like NorthBridge, is one of the few Bermuda grass varieties that will grow into the transition zone (shown below), which is found in Southern California and extends across the United States to North Carolina and Virginia.

Characteristics of Bermuda grass at Latitude 36

Golf, commercial landscapes, sports fields, parks, and home lawns are all good places to put it.
0.5–1.5 inch mowing height
Blade Width: 1.67 mm
Wear Tolerance: Excellent
Injury and shade recovery: Excellent.
Drought Tolerance: Excellent
Insect Resistance: Excellent
Disease resistance: Excellent
Weed Control: Excellent

Bermuda grass NorthBridge

NorthBridge Bermuda grass, like Latitude 36, is a turfgrass developed by Oklahoma State University that will thrive in the United States’ transition zone. NorthBridge has a fine texture, increased cold tolerance, early spring green-up, and high sod strength.

Its tensile strength and aggressive rooting make it one of the most long-lasting options for homeowners with children and pets who enjoy spending time outside. NorthBridge is a finer-bladed Bermuda grass with the same color as Latitude 36.

Characteristics of Bridge Bermuda grass

Commercial landscapes, golf courses, sports fields, and home lawns are ideal applications.
0.5–1.5 inch mowing height
1.68 mm blade width
Wear Tolerance: Excellent
Injury and shade recovery: Excellent.
Drought Tolerance: Excellent
Insect Resistance: Excellent
Disease resistance: Excellent
Weed Control: Excellent

Bermuda grass Tifway 419

While Tifway 419 Bermuda grass has been at the top of the list for sports turf, it is also an excellent choice for a well-loved lawn. Tifway 419 is a dark green Bermuda grass with a fine texture and high weed and disease resistance.

It has a dense, rapidly spreading growth habit, allowing it to recover quickly from injury. Tifway 419 Bermuda grass is one of the most durable hybrid Bermuda selections available.

Tifway 419 has a medium-low, vigorous growth habit that takes hold quickly after planting. It will thrive in the southern two-thirds of the United States and tolerates close mowing heights of 1–2 inches.

Characteristics of Tifway 419 Bermuda grass

Commercial landscapes, golf courses, sports fields, and home lawns are ideal applications.
1–2 inch mowing height
5–7 mm blade width
Wear Tolerance: Excellent
shade’s Injury Recovery: Excellent
Tolerance: Good drought tolerance
Excellent disease resistance
Insects Resistance: Excellent
Weed Control: Excellent

Bermuda grass TifTuf

TifTuf Bermuda grass was created with the goal of being drought tolerant. If you live in an area with long, dry summers, TifTuf may be the best option for you.

This fine-textured Bermuda grass requires 38% less water than other Bermuda grass cultivars. It also tolerates shade well and stays green longer in the fall than other grasses. TifTuf, like most Bermuda grasses, thrives in the southern two-thirds of the United States.

Characteristics of TifTuf Bermuda grass

Commercial landscapes, golf courses, sports fields, and home lawns are ideal applications.
0.5–2 inch mowing height
Width of the blade: 1.7 mm
Excellent wear tolerance
Injury and shade recovery is excellent.
Drought Tolerance: Extremely High
Insect Resistance: Good
Disease resistance: Excellent
Weed Control: Excellent

Bermuda grass Tahoma 31

Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, like Latitude 36 and NorthBridge, was developed at Oklahoma State University with the goal of having overall excellent turfgrass quality and cold tolerance. Tahoma 31’s other key characteristics include a finer texture, drought resistance, early spring green-up, and wear tolerance.

Tahoma 31 demonstrated exceptional cold hardiness and resistance to winterkill in the NTEP trials. It also greened up next to other Bermuda grass cultivars that had died due to the same cold weather.

Characteristics of Tahoma 31

Commercial landscapes, golf courses, sports fields, and home lawns are ideal applications.
0.5–1.5 inch mowing height
5–7 mm blade width
Wear tolerance: Excellent
Injury and shade recovery: Excellent
Cold tolerance: Extreme
Insect resistance: Good
Disease resistance: Excellent
Weed control: Excellent

Bimini (from the Bahamas)

Bimini Bermuda grass, like Tifway 419, is a fine-textured hybrid Bermuda grass. It has a lovely dark green color and a dense canopy. Bimini is one of the most durable turfgrasses available due to its rapidly spreading growth habit and quick recovery from injury.

It has a soft texture that many people will enjoy walking through barefoot. Bimini will quickly establish a dense root system. As a result, it is resistant to external stresses such as heat, drought, heavy foot traffic, pests, and disease.

Characteristics of Bimini Bermuda grass

Commercial landscapes, golf courses, sports fields, and home lawns are ideal applications.
1–2 inch mowing height
5–7 mm blade width
Excellent wear tolerance
Injury and shade recovery is excellent.
Disease tolerance: Good
Drought tolerance: Excellent
Insect resistance: Excellent
Weed Control: Excellent

Bermuda grass	Blade width (mm)	Mowing height (inch)	Wear tolerance	Injury/shade recovery	Disease tolerance	Drought resistance	Insect resistance
Celebration	1.7	0.5–1.5	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Extremely High	Excellent
Latitude 36®	1.67	0.5–1.5	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Excellent
NorthBridge	1.68	0.5–1.5	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Tifway 419	5-7	1–2	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
TifTuf	1.7	0.5–2	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Extremely high	Good
Tahoma 31	5–7	0.5–1.5	Extreme	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Good
Bimini	5-7	1–2	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Excellent

Best Bermuda grass varieties for lawns

Only a few varieties of Bermuda grass can be seeded traditionally. Improved Common Bermuda Grass is the name given to these varieties. They are the best Bermuda grass for lawns as they’re improved varieties, darker in color, a medium-fine texture, and deeper roots than regular Common Bermuda grass that’s often a weed in lawns.

The varieties listed below are an excellent compromise for those looking for an attractive lawn that doesn’t necessitate a lot of extra work. They are also clearly a more cost-effective option, as seeding is less expensive than sodding and maintenance is less expensive than with hybrids.

Princess 77

This is a new high-quality Bermuda variety that grows dense and low and has an attractive green color. It is a popular choice for sports fields, lawns, and decorative turf.

Princess 77 seed is available in 1 pound bags from the Pennington brand on Amazon! Great color retention in the fall, and most Southern reviewers were pleased with the results.

Blackjack bermuda grass

This variety is frequently used for golf greens because it grows thick and sturdy and can withstand heavy foot traffic. When fertilized with nitrogen, it turns a lovely deep green.

Riviera

This variety can withstand cold temperatures and will not cause spring dead spot. It greens up and spreads quickly in the spring.

Yuma

Yuma is a great choice for those looking for a bright green color and turns to intense emerald hues when mature. It grows quickly and easily. You will find Yuma gracing high-end golf-courses. These grass varieties can be found in a lawn and garden store near you

Overall, bermuda grass varieties that are meant for lawns grow more densely, creating the illusion of a carpeted turf. Cold resistance is not always the best in these seeded varieties, but they are frequently developed with an enhanced aspect, giving you the best Bermuda seed quality than the regular ones.

Bermuda grass varieties for golf courses

You may be wondering which Bermuda grass variety will give you that perfectly manicured golf course look. Blackjack is most frequently used on golf greens, where the grass must be of the highest quality. Tifsport is another popular option for golf courses.

Both have a vibrant green color, a dense growth pattern, and are resistant to foot traffic. However, in order to look their best, these varieties necessitate a lot of upkeep. If you want to achieve golf-like standards for your lawn, you must adhere to a strict watering, fertilizing, and mowing schedule.

For hay

Generally, common Bermuda grass is not the best choice for lawns but for pasture. Although it is drought tolerant, hardy, and spreads quickly, it is coarse and sparsely grows with a pale light green color. This type of Bermuda is a nuisance to most lawn owners who care about appearance.

It also produces rather unsightly seed heads, which are usually not a problem if the lawn is regularly mowed. However, Common Bermuda has a higher nutritional value, making it ideal for livestock feed.