Bermuda Grass Varieties for North Carolina

Course Texture

• Although common Bermuda grass is easier to maintain and can be established through seeding, with its coarse, light-green leaves it is the least attractive of the Bermuda grasses. The trade-off, though, is it can be mowed at a higher level and less often than other varieties. Two seeded varieties tested and recommended by North Carolina University are “NuMex Sahara“ (Cynodon dactylon “NuMex Sahara”) and “Yukon“ (Cynodon dactylon “Yukon”). Both varieties produce a medium-coarse, light-green lawn; however Yukon is more cold-tolerant and stays green longer before going into winter dormancy. Like all Bermuda grass varieties, these grasses need a sunny location.

Medium Texture

• For a denser, darker green turf; choose “GN-1“ (Cynodon dactylon “GN-1”), “Sunstar“ (Cynodon dactylon “Sunstar”) or “Sundevil II“ (Cynodon dactylon “Sundevil II”). “Sunstar“ and “Sundevil II“ can be established from seed, but “GN-1“ must be established by sod, sprigs or plugs. “GN-1,“ a hybrid Bermuda grass, is an excellent choice for high foot-traffic areas since it recovers quickly from damage. “Sundevil II“ is used in areas where a higher quality is desired without the high maintenance of sterile hybrids. As an improved grass, “Sunstar“ creates a finer-textured and denser turf than common Bermuda grass.

Fine Texture

• High-quality dark green, fine-textured Bermuda grass can be established only by sod, sprigs or plugs. Three reliable choices are “Celebration“ (Cynodon dactylon “Celebration”), “Tifway“ (Cynodon dactylon “Tifway”) and “Tifsport“ (Cynodon dactylon “Tifsport”). “Celebration,“ unlike most Bermuda grass, is shade-tolerant and has high recuperative potential. “Tifway“ and “Tifsport“ are considered by many to be the best overall Bermuda grass for a high-quality lawn. However, they require more mowing and maintenance than other varieties.

Maintenance and Care

• When establishing Bermuda grass, plant in late spring or early summer. Lawns maintained below 1 inch should be mowed with a reel mower. Regardless of mowing height, blades on all mowers must be kept sharp and no more than one-third of the grass blade should be removing in a single mowing. Since Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass, it grows best in the summer and will go dormant with the first heavy frost. Once dormant, it remains brown until the following spring.