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Qualities
Bermudagrass is a warm-season
grass well adapted to warm regions of California. It does best in
full sun and high temperatures. During periods of extended low temperatures,
bermudagrass will turn brown. In areas where bermudagrass is well
adapted, it is very water-efficient and has few pest problems. Both
seeded and hybrid varieties are durable and withstand heavy use during
the spring, summer, and early autumn months when they are actively
growing, but they can be severely damaged from traffic during the
winter months when they are not growing, giving weeds a chance to
invade. Seeded bermudagrass can be a troublesome invader of garden
areas.
Identifying
tips
A medium to coarse-textured gray-green grass.
Leaves are folded in the bud. Hybrids are more fine-textured and vary
in color from deep blue-green to dark green. Bermudagrass varieties
lack auricles, have ligules made up of a fringe of hairs, and have
leaf blades with pointed tips. The sheaths are split, loose, and round
to compressed with a tuft of hair at the collar. Bermudagrass loses
its color and becomes dormant in most locations during the cooler
months of late autumn and winter. It spreads both by rhizomes and
stolons.
Maintenance
Low to high maintenance. Seeded bermudagrass
requires only moderate levels of nitrogen and infrequent watering. Hybrid
varieties are higher maintenance than the common type because they require
more nitrogen and a closer and more frequent mowing cut. Regular edging
will keep hybrids contained. Bermudagrass has a low tolerance for shade
and cold temperatures, but it can tolerate drought conditions and high temperatures.
Bermudagrass has a high tolerance for salinity.
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