Bermuda Grass care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon) wants full sun and a drink about every 5 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Cynodon dactylon |
|---|---|
| family | Poaceae |
| category | grass |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 5 |
| mature height cm | 10 |
| min zone | 7 |
| max zone | 10 |
| frost tolerant | false |
| toxic to pets | false |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Bermuda Grass?
Warm-season lawn; browns in winter; invades beds.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is high. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 36 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 6.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 8.0. Its fertility requirement is high. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. Its tolerance of waterlogging is medium. It needs at least 225 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is medium. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: yes. It has been recorded down to 22°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: yes.
How it grows
It grows as a stoloniferous form. Its growth rate is rapid. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in summer and fall. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It spreads vegetatively at a rapid rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 1.5 feet. Its roots go down at least 14 inches. Its shape is prostrate. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is porous in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by summer. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: no. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02