Native & adapted

Bermudagrass lawn

Cynodon dactylon and hybrids

Also known as Bermuda grass · Grass · Sod · Turf · Tifway · Midiron · TifTuf

The Valley's standard warm-season lawn, laid as sod or seeded, that takes heavy play and summer heat and goes dormant brown in winter. Mixing clover in keeps it greener with less fertilizer.

WalkableHeat tolerantSod or seed

Landscape layersGround cover

Mature size

Mowed at 1–2 in., spreading by runners

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Hardiness guidance

Warm-season; dormant and brown after frost unless overseeded

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Cold hardiness

Hardy here

It goes dormant and turns tan once nights frost or soil drops below about 60°F, then greens up in spring. That's normal, not damage, and the only fix is overseeding with ryegrass.

Heat tolerance

Takes full sun and heat

Loves full sun and heat. It does poorly in shade, so pick something else under trees or on north sides.

Sources:

extension.arizona.edu , extension.arizona.edu

Right plant, right place

Will Bermudagrass lawn grow at your Arizona property?

Lay sod from spring through summer when it roots fastest. Edge it hard: the runners invade beds.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Full sun. It thins quickly in shade.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate to high in summer; much less while dormant.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Bermudagrass lawn thrive

1
Water new sod daily until it roots, then deeply and less often.
2
Mow regularly at 1 to 2 inches.
3
Edge beds and paths to keep runners out.

Read the horticultural reference ↗

Bermudagrass lawn

Will Bermudagrass lawn grow at your Arizona property?

Sun exposure

Irrigation

How to help Bermudagrass lawn thrive

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