The Best Bermuda Sod for Shade

Shade Tolerance

• Bermudagrass is, by nature, greedy for sunlight. Most varieties require full sun. Even those varieties that are shade tolerant still typically need sunlight for at least six to eight hours a day and won't thrive in full-shade conditions, according to the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Some hybrid varieties, such as Celebration, MS-Choice and TifGrand, have been developed to perform well in light levels as low as 30 to 40 percent of full sun.

Hybrids vs. Common

• You can seed your lawn using common Bermudagrass varieties, such as Princess, Sonesta and Nu-Mex Sahara, but no variety of common Bermudagrass performs well in shade. The only Bermudagrass varieties that can tolerate shade are hybrids, which were developed for that purpose. Hybrid Bermudagrasses are sterile, so you'll have to use plugs, sprigs or sod to establish your lawn. While plugs or sprigs are fine for propagating a lawn in full-sun, you'll typically get better results in shaded areas by sodding, according to The Augusta Chronicle.

Celebration

• Celebration Bermudagrass was developed in Australia and has developed a reputation in the U.S. as an exceptionally durable, drought-resistant variety that also happens to exhibit very good shade tolerance. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6B through 11 but may withstand the colder extremes found in zones 5 and 6A. Its dark blue-green color, soft feel and excellent injury recovery make it a frequent choice for sports applications such as golf courses. Celebration is best established via sodding.

MS-Choice

• MS-Choice, a variety developed by Mississippi State University, is a warm-season grass that performs best in USDA zones 7 through 10. It is a lush, naturally dark-green Bermudagrass that is more shade tolerant than most Bermudagrasses but less shade tolerant than zoysia or St. Augustine. Like Celebration, MS-Choice grows best when established by sodding.

TifGrand

• TifGrand is a warm-season Bermudagrass variety developed by University of Georgia over a period of 10 years involving more than 28,000 hybrid crosses. The result is a Bermudagrass that can thrive in conditions of up to 70 percent shade while maintaining Bermudagrass' traditional strengths of drought tolerance and injury recovery. TifGrand is best suited for USDA zones 7A through 8B. While TifGrand, referred to as Tift No. 4 in some studies, exhibits superior shade tolerance, it's ability to compete against tree roots and other shade obstacles isn't as well-documented.