General Culture:

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates heat, drought and a wide range of soils. When grown as a turfgrass, mow regularly to a height of 3/4" to 1.5" tall, fertilize during the growing season (May to August) and use soil barriers to prevent spread into adjacent areas. Sometimes overseeded with rye. Bermuda grass has winter hardiness problems in the Midwest Transition Area, however, and is not recommended as a turfgrass for St. Louis. Some winter kill is to be expected when winter temperatures dip below 10 degrees F. 'Sundevil' is a seeded variety which is considered even less winter hardy than the species. Needs regular dethatching.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Bermuda grass (also sometimes commonly called wire grass) is a tough, warm season grass which spreads rapidly by both stolons and rhizomes. In optimum conditions, it will form a dense lawn which tolerates foot traffic well and excludes many common weeds. On the other hand, many homeowners consider it to be a noxious weed and expend considerable energy trying to eradicate it from their lawns and garden areas. The main disadvantages of Bermuda grass as a turfgrass are (1) foliage turns straw-colored from mid-fall to late spring when grass goes dormant and (2) highly invasive habit which results in spread into adjacent plantings such as flower beds, vegetable garden and borders. 'Sundevil' is a coarse, seeded turfgrass variety which features light green blades.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. White grubs are the most common insect problem. Brown patch and dollar spot are infrequent disease problems. Invasive plant which many homeowners consider to be a weed.

Uses:

Turfgrass for southern lawns. Also used extensively in southern golf courses for fairway and tee areas.

© Missouri Botanical Garden, 2001-2009