Bermuda Grass
Genus/species
Cynodon dactylon
Family
Poaceae (includes all the grasses, including grains)
Distribution
Southern half of US
W Oregon southward to SW California, SW California eastward to S Texas and S Florida, S Florida northward to SE New Hampshire, SE New Hampshire southwestward through central Kansas, Kansas northwestward to N California and W Oregon, Hawaii
Comments
This grass, which is native to the savannas of eastern Africa, has been introduced and established in much of the world, including Bermuda from where it is thought to havebeen brought to the United States. It is commonly grown in warm areas of the US for usein lawns and pastures, but may become an invasive pest. However, Bermuda grass is afavorite for golf greens because its dense growth resists foot traffic and it can bemaintained even when mown very closely. It is a perennial species spreading by roots,nodes of runners where they touch the ground, and by seed. Although it makes bestdevelopment in warm humid areas, it can tolerate drought by becoming dormant. Bermuda grass has short narrow bluish-green leaves that turn brown during cold weather,being a “warm season” grass. The purplish flowering stems can grow over a foot tall, butare typically much shorter, and usually have about 4 to 6 fingerlike seedheads. Allergenically, it is considered one of three “Southern grasses” and while it is moderatelycross-reactive with salt grass, it demonstrates low cross-reactivity with most other grasses.
